Sea of Chains
by Kuno12
Summary: Years after the events of Anchor, Captain Kai and Jinora Gyatso remain famous names on the seas and their children are literally born pirates. Now, their daughter, Nima, is becoming a little too pirate for comfort. When trouble with Captain Quill of the Blood Moon Pirates turns tragic, Nima is viciously dragged into what can only be be described as every parent's worst nightmare.
1. A Fortune in the Night

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 ** **A Fortune in the Night  
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The man was young.

Maybe?

He was young enough and odd-looking under his ragged cloak, having the demeanor of an old man. His skin was dry and he smelled distinctly of sea salt air, Nima felt, and that was saying something for a bunch of pirates who basically lived on the ocean.

"Nima, it's not polite to stare, sweetie."

Nima glanced back at her mother, who beckoned her to come away from the man hunched over peacefully in his chair in the dining hall. She took another look as she found her own spot and couldn't help but continue to glance at him every so often. His hair was grey, yet his face had no lines of age, and he always looked tired like he was weathered and life worn.

Her father, Captain Kai of the Waterbender, wasn't exactly a throw away name in the pirate world, so, it wasn't a wonder they were a little wary when the man had asked for a ride on their ship. But her parents were nice people and he seemed harmless. It wouldn't hurt for a couple days, right?

She was quietly told not to get too close to the man. He hadn't even given him their name. Her mother, being raised a lady - the famous Lady Jinora Gyatso, in fact - always told her never to pester someone for a name if they didn't want to give it. Apparently, it was rude.

But wasn't it weird to have somebody on their ship and they didn't even know the person was? At all?

Guess not, seeing as the man was sitting at their table eating the soup her Uncle Daw had whipped up for their supper. The man ate slowly, Nima observed. Was he sick?

"You have a question, child." said the man passively. His voice was thin and she wasn't sure if he was a young older person or an old younger person at this point.

Nima looked at him, mildly startled, then looked around at the table. She caught her mother's gently disapproving eye and looked down at her food silently.

"Sorry about that." Kai smiled a little at his daughter. "She's just curious."

"It's quite alright," said the man, the tone of a likewise smile in his raspy voice. "It's hard being seven after all."

Kai looked up at the man, frowning slightly. Nima, too, looked. Did her parents tell him how old she was? From the look on her father's face, apparently not. She glanced at her mother as well who'd put down her bowl to look blankly at the man. Her parents traded looks with each other.

Down the table from Nima, her Grandpa Yung also looked slightly puzzled. He opened his mouth to speak, but the man beat him to it.

"I am a seer," said the man. "That is all. Worry not. I have no ill will towards you or any of your children."

The man gestured to Nima and her twin brother and sister in their Uncle Momo and Uncle Imaru's arms. They were only two years old, both being more interested in the food they were being fed than the man sitting on the other side of the table from them. Nima, on the other hand, dropped her spoon in surprise.

"Really?" she asked wondrously. "Does that mean you can predict the future?"

"Yes, young one, I do see the future. Forgive me for not saying so earlier," said the man, shifting in his seat and seemingly talking more to her parents than to her. "We seers are not always welcomed."

Jinora finished her soup, trying to smile at the seer. Nima watched her, wanting to know what the nature behind her mother's smile was. When she looked at her father, he was eyeing the seer with a look of interest. It was a look Nima had seen many times when they were told another ship was in nearby waters and they weren't sure whether or not it might be something to worry about.

"It's alright," Jinora finally said. "You being a seer doesn't really bother us. We have no problem taking you to Yun Ho. We were going that way anyhow."

"It is appreciated," said the man and went back to finishing his soup.

Nima couldn't help it. She looked at the seer for a good moment and then finally was unable to contain herself.

"Can you tell someone's future?" she asked, glancing at her mother who shot her a firm look.

"That is my job."

"No, I mean-"

"Can I tell _your_ future? I'm aware what you mean," he sounded less amused than before. "I do not fancy telling the fortunes of children."

Nima deflated.

"Aww, please?" she pleaded, pouting slightly. "I've always wanted to have my fortune told."

She glanced at her mother who was now looking at her sternly. That is, she'd always wanted to have it told, but neither of her parents ever seemed keen on letting her. There were many festivals she'd gone to, passed by many little shacks, where the occasional seer supposedly lived according to locals, but not once had her parents ever permitted her to even get close to it.

Well, now, here was her chance.

"You will be grateful for my silence later, child," said the seer, returning to his soup.

"But-"

"Nima, that's enough," said her father. "Let the man eat in peace. He's probably tired."

Nima looked at her father, pouting again, but she left it alone.

Not fair.

-:-:-:-

When Kai finally retired to his quarters, Jinora was already there, smiling a little as she scooted over a bit more. He grabbed off his shirt and threw off trousers, slipping on a pair of night pants before sliding into bed next to her. She rolled into his side and he caught her, wrapping an arm around her.

For a moment, they just lay there, listening to the sound of the other's breathing, but Kai could feel the shifting of her chin on his chest and poked her very gently.

"I don't believe he's dangerous," he said.

Jinora moved her head up slightly to get a better look at him.

"I don't think he's dangerous, but… I don't know how I feel about someone being on the ship who claims to be a seer."

"I doubt that he's "claiming" anything. I'm sure he means what he says and what reason would he have to lie? To be honest, I kind of appreciate him not humoring Nima when she asked him to tell her future. That stuff can be dangerous."

She lifted her head up now to look at him.

"You really believe that?" she asked. "That he's a seer?"

"Why not?" he snorted, running an absent hand through her hair. "Seers are very real, Gyatso."

She made a face at him, he made a face back and she stifled a giggle, schooling her expression into something more serious. He grinned at her and kissed her forehead as she tried - and failed - to appear more stern. Of course seers were real. Why would they not be?

"Really, Captain? _Seers?_ "

Kai raised his eyebrows at her.

"Of all the things in the world we've seen. Sirens, witches, magic… hell, you even _talked_ to a siren once. You can't believe in seers?"

"But come on," she said, rolling over more now so they were almost face to face. "Fortunetelling? Predicting the future? I can _see_ a siren and I know they exist, but how do we even know the magic for _that_ even exists?"

"I'm sure most people used to say the same thing about witches. I'm sure a lot still do. I can personally assure them that they're real just like I'm personally assuring you that seers really do tell the future."

"...have you ever had yours told?" she asked slowly.

"...yeah," he said finally, looking at her. "He said he saw good things… and for a long time I thought he was a terrible seer or just a liar."

At that, Jinora smiled a little, leaning up to kiss him.

"Good night, love."

He returned her kiss chastely and leaned his head on top of hers.

"Good night."

-:-:-:-

Opening the door real slowly, Nima crept out of her room and down the hall on the tip of her toes. She just wanted to have her fortune told. That was all. Maybe if she asked the fortune teller one more time he would tell her… technically, she was supposed to have been in bed like everyone else. And she tried! She really tried! But she didn't want to wake up the next morning only to find that she'd slept in and the man had been dropped off at port close to Yun Ho.

First though, she went to the kitchen. Even if he didn't give her a fortune, she wondered if maybe he might be thirsty. Weren't older people always thirsty?

If she didn't get a fortune then at least he would be a little more comfortable in the night. Quickly, she got a cup of water and went back, passing her room. Their ship wasn't as big as others Nima had seen, but she was okay with that. It meant less ground to cover when you needed to get from one end to the other. Her father said their ship was indeed smaller than a lot of other pirate ships, but it was a lot faster than theirs too. Fast, he said, was always better than big when it came to their line of work. Even if the ship was old and small, it was also fast and well-maintained. It was home.

Down the hall she crept and even more below the stairs to a few of the extra built rooms were where they used to have a large brig - they didn't exactly keep a ton of prisoners - and she easily found the room the seer was staying in.

"Come in," came the thin voice of the man through the crack in the door. Nima jumped slightly, certainly not expecting him to hear her coming down the hall. Only then, too, did she realize that perhaps the seer himself might have been sleeping. Feeling silly now, bites of shame made her cheeks hot.

She pushed open the door carefully to find the man still in his cloak, sitting idly on the side of the bed. He clutched his robes around him and barely moved his head when he waved for her to come in. Leaving the door open, she did so and suddenly felt a little awkward being down there. Maybe she should have just gotten up early and asked again… if he was expecting her then did he stay up so she wouldn't disturb his sleep?

"Um… I'm sorry," she said after a moment. "Did you want me to leave?"

"I would have told you to go away then," said the seer in his raspy voice. "Will you tell me what is it that you have in your hand?"

Nima looked down at the cup of water in her hand and flushed a little.

"I, uh… I figured if anything you might be thirsty. I… I didn't want to come down here empty handed… sorry."

The seer almost seemed to chuckle.

"Do not apologize, young one," he said, gesturing for her to come closer so he could reach for the water. "It was kind of you. I invite you in if you would like."

Nima walked over and held out the cup for him. He gingerly took the water and sipped it until it was all gone, handing it back to her when he was done. She saw the traces of a real smile now.

"I thank you," he said. "What is it that you would like of me?"

Nima's mouth fell open slightly.

"I…" She moved to turn away and run out the door, but instead finally crouched down so that she was looking up at him and hugged herself around the knees. "Can you _please_ tell me my fortune? Please?"

"You know not what you ask for, young one."

Nima frowned sadly.

"Okay…" She sighed. "I'll leave you alo-"

"But your kindness will not go unrewarded."The seer put up a frail hand to silence her. "Even if your reward is no reward at all."

Nima blinked. What did that even mean…? What was she supposed to say to that? A part of her, in the core of her belly, felt that she probably should get up and leave right now before he said anymore.

That this just might be a huge mistake.

But her vapid curiosity kept her feet grounded where they were and her arms wrapped around her knees. Her need to know what he saw - no matter how scary it actually seemed in the moment - refused to let her get up now that she was in this far. When the seer hummed, she knew that it was too late to leave.

"I see three blades..." he said, rocking back slightly, his voice seeming far away and even raspier than before.

"... three blades?" she asked in a small voice.

The seer nodded slowly.

"Yes…" He held his index finger in by his thumb, raising up his remaining three for her to see. "Three blades. Three swords. You shall fall on your sword three times, but each time someone else shall fall in your stead. Thereafter, you shall take the lives of three people and become your own curse. And beware, for I here now see a man in your future… a man who will make you all that he holds dear and you shall become the scorned apple of his rotten eye. Yours will be the weeping tempest and the daring thunder. But child, hear me now and most of all, heed the hand that feeds with poison breath... for your test in life shall be death."

Nima's eyes had gotten wider with each word and the words more frightening. She was mystified, but unsure of what to quite make of that. It all sounded… grim. All of it so grim. Admittedly, she had hoped the seer would say she would do good things.

She didn't need grand feats or to become a famous pirate like her dad - he was a Pirate Lord so he was _way_ famous - but rather, she just wanted to do things that made her family proud. Things they would smile at her and ruffle her hair for. Maybe a clap on the back.

She liked it when they did that.

But now… this fortune wasn't at all anything like that. It was quite… dark to say the least.

The man didn't say anything more after that, but she didn't try to speak anymore either. With that kind of fortune he'd apparently seen, she kind of didn't want to. What else was in store for her? What if it was more bad things?

He'd talked about a swords and dying and a man… and here she'd hoped for adventures and bright days.

He was right though.

She shouldn't have asked.

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If you've read and loved the pirate au fic, Anchor by words-with-dragons (thethiefandtheairbender on tumblr) then you've come to the right place!

This fic is an au sequel to that wildly popular fic. However, this fic is going to follow the journey of Kai and Jinora's family here mainly through the eyes of their eldest child, Nima. The mythology of the world (which I have a minor hand in, having designed the the map for this world) will be a lot more involved in this fic than in Anchor and have a center stage alongside Nima here. While Nima is the main character you will get a chance to see things through more eyes than just hers including, Kai's, Jinora's and a few other characters as well.

I can't wait for us to get knee deep in witches and goddesses and all the mythology that will be explored in this fic! Also, parental kainora abound in various forms and family kainora as well! Don't want to spoil too much, but I'm very excited to start this fic.

I really love it when you guys drop those reviews! They really keep me going and keep me motivated and they let me know that, hey, people have an interest in the work I'm doing here. Even if you just want to point our something out or are curious, I still really appreciate every word! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	2. Yun Ho

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 ** **Yun Ho  
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 _Nine Years Later_

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With a sharp eye and an even sharper jerk of an arm, he threw her dagger out of the way and sheathed his sword through her body. She felt it come out of her lower back and the pain took an eternity to register no matter how long the moment truly was.

But when the pain came, it really came.

Nima almost screamed, but only ended up choking as her own blood forced it's way up her throat. A sheer kind of panicking fear took over as she dropped her dagger and backed up, clutching her mouth as dark red – coming out of _her_ body – spilled around it and through her fingers. Her eyes widened and she must have gone deaf or something because she looked up instinctively for help, meeting cruel and shocked eyes alike, but she couldn't tell as she started to cough up more blood surging from the pits of her belly.

The blood spurted around her hand and she gurgled.

Oh my god I can't breathe, her thoughts raced as she felt the blood crawling down the skin of her neck now.

I can't breathe.

Her other hand flew to her mouth in a poor attempt to muffle a gurgling scream when the sword was ripped out of her and now she felt a burning pooling out of her abdomen.

She tried to cry for her mother – God help her she couldn't control herself – but tears welled up in her eyes as only more blood came out. She wanted her father to help her. Her uncles.

God, _anyone_.

She tried to gasp, choking even more as she fell and her back hit the hard wooden deck of the ship, and the impact knocked the wind out of her.

Rolling over, she only saw dirty boots and dirty feet and the heavy boots of the man who'd just run her through. Up, she tried to look past the faces and towards the clouds, but the man's blue eyes stared down at her, triumph dancing in them.

She curled in on herself and her body lost complete control, jerking herself back straight and tears streaming into her hair as she stared at the sky.

She tried to breathe through the blood, but her throat was closing up from the liquid running through it. Her hand flew to her mouth and her other tried to help her turn over, but it slipped back toward her, leaving streaks of red.

Her limbs jerked, a pool of blood beginning to form under her, she realized, and her eyes were widening out of her control from the pure terror.

She was dying.

God, that was her blood and she was dying.

Her horror was only heightened when she saw and felt somebody bend over and pick her up. Unable to do anything but jerk around, she couldn't even scream when she felt herself being hoisted over someone's shoulder.

When the light left her, so did the breath in her lungs.

-:-:-:- Days Earlier -:-:-:-

The streets of Yun Ho were gloriously busy and the sun played along the brim of the tides as they gently rose and fell at port. Beaming, Nima had already gathered her things. Her dress, her jewelry and her slippers. Everything she needed for a nice performance in the crowded streets. Many passerby would be watching and, most especially, a lot of people with willing coin in their pocket.

"Nima." At the sound of her name, Nima whipped her head around to see her father, absently scratching the patch of hair under his lip and over his chin.

"Yes?" she asked, semi-innocently.

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Sweetheart, you don't need to jump off the ship the second we hit port. You know that, right?"

Nima raised an eyebrow at her father, a smile playing on her lips.

"Dad, I've got lots of work to do. Think about all that money we could be using on the ship as we speak-"

" _And_ as much as I appreciate you turning over most of your money over to support the ship's needs…" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her, kissing her forehead. "You know we don't need it."

"But we could always _use_ it," she told him. "You've even said it yourself. A pirate's work is never cheap, right?"

Her father turned his head side to side, as if weighing the advice for a moment. Of course, she had taken that out of a bit of context. He'd probably more been talking about other forms of piracy payment such a blood, sweat and maybe a limb or two - she thought specifically of her Uncle Lefty - where, in those terms, being a pirate was not even remotely cheap. At sixteen years old, Nima had been growing into her fair share of fights though her normal tactic usually resulted in some wild goose chase on the part of her opponent. It was a thing her father had implored her and the twins to learn, her mother noting that both of them would prefer nobody spilling any blood if need be. Especially their own.

"Yes, I did say that," he said slowly. "But you also know that's not what I meant."

Nima leaned into her father's side. She armlessly hugged him and beamed, feeling safe right where he was. Right there on _The Waterbender_ with her father and mother and all her uncles. Perhaps, just maybe, she was bit spoiled on that part.

She wrinkled her nose at him.

"I'm going to be fine, Dad," she reassured. "I just want to dance. That's all. I promise I won't be too long this time. I just-"

"Need to get your feet off this ship and onto some dry land?" He sighed. "I know, I know. I get the feeling… just promise me you're going to be careful? Keep one eye open? And if anything happens, run first, okay? And knife where you can reach it quick as lightning?"

This time, she wrapped her arms around him, swinging her sling of stuff across her shoulder and really hugged him now. This was hard for him, Nima knew. He was trying so hard, knowing he couldn't very well keep her trapped on the ship or escorted literally everywhere, but she could practically see the doubt and worry scrawled on his face. They'd all had enough scares in the past and she wasn't sure either of her parents could take any more.

"I _promise_."

He sighed again and she was starting to wonder how his throat wasn't dry yet.

"Okay," he said, nodding backwards. "But go tell your mom before you leave. She might want you to pick up something while you're out."

Nima nodded, quickly kissing her father on the cheek when she let go. She scurried down below the deck of the ship, nearly swinging around corners trying to find her mother so she could hurry up and leave. It was the middle of the day and there was going to be flocks of people out now on such a beautiful afternoon.

In one of the further rooms in the stern, her mother sat beside her baby sister, Taani, tending to the moon flowers they kept below deck for Taani to garden. At eleven years old, Taani was the younger of the twins and the baby of the family. Her brown wavy hair was kept in a short bob, curled bangs meeting short, triangular little brows on a light brown face. Her eyes were that of a dreamer's: always sleepy looking, but with Taani, they were always rather blank with eyes so grey they were almost silver. She was considered odd for that by most. Her small mouth just about never curved up or down and her face never changed. It seemed as if she were forever a sleepy, blank-faced little girl. Not that their family ever cared. She was a cutie and there was nothing wrong about her. Anybody who suggested otherwise usually got the pointy end of someone's wrath from them.

"Mom?"

Nima's mother looked up, warm brown eyes smiling when her lips did.

"Off to start your day, sweetheart?"

Nima nodded, smiling wide.

"Yup! Dad wanted me to come down and let you know though," she said. "Do you need anything?"

"Nothing that I can't ask one of your uncles to grab while they're out getting supplies," said her mother, shaking her head. "You just get home as soon as you can, okay?"

"You two worry too much-"

"Nima," said her mother warningly.

"But I will," she quipped. "Bye!"

Taani hadn't said a word, but Nima caught her nodding as she turned on her heel and left, hearing her mother's last words to be careful as she made her way back to the main deck of the ship where her uncles were all busy doing one thing or another. She nearly ran into her Uncle Otaku carrying a number of charts in his arms and caught two that slipped out of the crook of his elbow.

"Oh. Morning, Nima." He peeked over mountain of papers.

"Hi Uncle Otaku… it's actually the afternoon, uh… why don't you let me help you?" She took several of the rolled up parchments from his arms so he carry a comfortable load and walked with him to a desk on the other side of the deck. "What are all of these?"

"Oh, a project I'm doing for your dad," he said vaguely.

Nima raised an eyebrow. "Project?"

"Yeah, just something he wants me to help him look at." He changed the subject. "I take it you're off into town already?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yup, got work to do."

He chuckled.

"Okay, well, before you go to work, why don't you go see your Uncle Imaru. He mentioned having something for you that he wanted to give you. To make up for not being on the ship on your birthday."

"Oh, he didn't have to," she said, frowning slightly even if she did always love her uncle's gifts. "I mean, I knew he was going to be visiting that old friend of his…"

"Yeah, but you know Imaru." Otaku beamed. "Any excuse to get into the latest fashion… er, don't tell him I told you that."

She placed his scrolls in a round cannister next to his desk and gave him a quick hug before she went back downstairs again. Finding her Uncle Imaru was easy enough, hearing his voice come from the kitchen where he was sharing some gossip with her Uncle Daw.

Poking her head in, Nima knocked on the door frame.

"Uncle Imaru? Uncle Otaku said you wanted to see me…" Nima's voice trailed off when she caught the distinctive whiff of sugared cherries. She sniffed and then grinned, rattling her fingernails on the door frame with a little squeal. "Uncle Daw, are you making fruit tarts?"

"Mm-hmm." Daw turned around, flashing a smile while keeping one eye on the dough he was rolling out. "That I am. Can you guess what flavor?"

She raised an eyebrow at him with a smile. "Do you even know me? Of course, it's cherries with sugar on it."

"Right, but can you smell-"

" _And_ a hint of cinnamon."

"You've gotten better at that," he laughed a little. "Here, I finished a batch already. You can have one if you'd like, but just don't tell your mom I let you have it before dinner."

"Ahh, I'm sixteen years old," she said, half groaning. "I think I'm a little old for the 'no desserts before dinner' rule anyway. Besides, everybody knows I'm not going to _not_ eat dinner."

"Your mom doesn't see it that way. Though she's probably mostly given up on it with you."

Nima grinned and she munched on her pastry, looking up when she felt a big hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, you. I know you're going to go dancing and I wanted to give you something I found."

"Uncle Imaru, you didn't have to you know. I understood why you weren't around for my birthday," she said, walking with him as he steered her out of the kitchen. "You've been there for the last fifteen, I think it's okay to skip out on one or two."

Down the hall in a storage room made pretty for her Uncle Imaru, Uncle Appa and Uncle Lefty's fashion needs, Imaru rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a glittering gold band that twinkled in the light coming from the window, a single black stone embedded on the outside. She stared at it, touched that her uncle had given her something like that. Should she have been surprised? Not really. But she she was still very appreciative of it and immediately put it on her wrist when he handed it over.

"No, Nima," he chuckled. "It's an anklet. It goes on your leg."

"Oh," she said, giggling and slipped it onto her ankle instead. "I was wondering why it was so big on my wrist."

"And it goes with those dresses of yours too. Black matches everything, after all, and the gold will go with most of the colors in your closet anyway."

She grinned. He always helped her with her colors when she had to dress up. Her and her Uncle Imaru and her moother. Vivid colors, they said, always looked great on her. Many a time she had been likened to that of a cat and, looking in the mirror to see her anklet, she supposed could see it. Her eyes and mouth smiled naturally - a trait she admittedly appreciated. Dancers did a lot of smiling - the corners of her mouth upturning just a little on their own, framed by two locks of brown hair cupping a mostly round face with a slight pointed chin. Her skin matched her brother and sister's: a warm light brown darker than their mother, but still a few shades lighter than their father. The green of her eyes were her father's as well and, quite frankly, nobody could ever suggest that she was the daughter of another. Her hair, parted on her right, went past her shoulders and was all her mother's: brown and straight and pretty much always left down.

"Thank you," she said, breathless. "I really love it. I'm going to wear it today. Right now even. It's going to look great with my dress today. The red two piece?"

"Ah, the one your father hates? Good choice. Don't forget to wear-"

"The little hoop earrings?" she suggested.

He gave her a thumbs up. "I've taught you well."

After one last thank you and hug, she bid him goodbye and trotted upstairs. Okay, now as much as she loved her uncles she really needed to get out onto the streets. She was missing the prime time of the sunlight where everyone was out and about and it was such a beautiful day. Sure, the money was nice, but the thing she was really excited for was the dancing… her feet light as air, her body following the wind and her hips making friends with the beat and melodies of the music. And doing so in front of dozens of people? Exhilarating.

Exhilarating and almost so necessary to her being.

"Hey, Neems."

And, of course, some force on this ship was trying so _hard_ to keep her on it. Not that she didn't love _The Waterbender_ , but…

Nima twirled around. "Yeah, Uncle Skoochy?

Her Uncle Skoochy hauled a small crate under one arm, lazily gesturing to the city.

"Grab me some cigarettes would ya? Probably won't be off the ship for a second and I'm dying-"

"Skoochy, she is sixteen years old. She's _too young_ to get you cigarettes." That was her Grandpa Yung.

Skoochy clucked his tongue. He leaned toward Nima, digging a couple coins out of his pocket and slipped them into her hand as he glanced over his shoulder at a half-busy pudgy older middle-aged man climbing the stairs to the deck of the ship.

"Get me some cigarettes _quietly_ and don't tell your grandpa or I'll _never_ hear the end of it," he lowered his voice, nodding his head in a direction behind her. "You know the little spot. Don't go nowhere dangerous though. Just the little spot I showed you since it's right in the middle of town."

"Shen's Smokes and Liquors?"

"That's the one," he clicked his tongue at her, walking off before her grandpa came striding over with disapproval. That was also her cue to leave, until she heard someone else call her name. For God's sakes, what was it _now?_

She looked up, fully expecting the look on her brother's face when she heard his voice. Rama looked down at her from his place going up toward the crow's nest, his fingers twisted in the rope. His brown eyes were their mothers, but sharp, a little like their father's only more full of sarcasm and constant exasperation at whatever the hell eleven year olds too smart for their own good were exasperated with. And God, now that she was nitpicking at him for the sake, he needed a haircut. He _always_ needed a haircut though. His brown hair was tied at the base of his skull, the locks that were too long spilling out on the right side of his face and the ponytail reaching down to his waist. He was her brother though and one look at the two of them easily paired them up as siblings. Unfortunately.

"What is it, Rama?" she asked, crossing her arms over chest.

"Where you going?" he asked, half curious and almost half disinterested.

"Out."

"Well, considering we're on the deck of a ship and already outside I can see that-" She grunted at him. "I mean _where_ are you going?"

"You know what I meant." She frowned. "Why do you need to know?"

"Any chance you might get lost?'

"...why?"

"Nothing," he shrugged. "Just hoping."

Nima made a face at him and snorted." _Ha ha_. Very funny. You know what you little rat, why don't I-"

"Nima, _go_ before I change my mind." She could hear her father's voice from Otaku's desk.

"But _Dad-_ "

"I'm just being wishful-"

" _Ramashan_ ," their father started warningly, using her brother's full name. She could see Rama's eyes widen and he scowled.

"Okay, okay!" uttered Rama, his face burning as he rushed up the crow's nest.

Huffing and with one last glare at her brother, Nima turned on her heel and walked down the ramp. Every port was busy during the day and, some ports, even during the night. That was just the life of a city on the edge of the sea.

It also sometimes smelled like fish. Very strongly smelled of fish that was. Crinkling her nose, Nima dodged sailors and whirled around fisherman, uttering polite pardons each time and especially strong pardons if she actually bumped into anyone.

When she got through the harbor, white cobblestone pressed under her feet and people on foot swerved around her just as easily as she did them. Wasting no time, she strolled along toward what she knew was closer to the center of town. Of course, Yun Ho was a rather large port so, in reality, she was listening for any signs of street musicians. If not, she had a tambourine in her satchel, but street musicians always made things much livelier.

As it was, she did find a few musicians playing along the corner of an open square. When she asked if she could dance to what they played, they smile and obliged, both out of friendliness and out of a mutual understanding that they could both stand to make more money off of each other's talents. After quickly changing in a small clothing shop and laying down a small bowl for coin, the small band strung their strings, rang their tambourines and beat their drums as they did obviously many times before.

And, as if a small band all on her own, Nima danced.

Her skirts swept around her legs, bangles and jewelry glinting in the day. The drums beat through her hips, the chords of the strings singing to the soles of her feet and the melodies grazing with her arms and her torso. She winded like a tight coil and unwinded like the foam of the tides. Underneath her skin she felt a warmth like sunlight, but sparks like thunder. Like embers leaping from a roaring fire. Her arms moved when her hips told her to and her legs obeyed the whims of her breasts. All the while, her red skirts paraded around her and the scarf between her fingers rippling and accentuating every twirl of her body.

This is what she lived for. This is what made every day manageable. Good even.

Around her, she could vaguely sense and see a crowd gathering, smiles and looks of genuine interest inthe irises moving past her. The flash of coin and clank of metal caught her ears and she smiled even more than she already was for her performance. When she slid to the ground, one leg behind her body and the other leg in front, the crowd clapped and cheered. She could hear the music get faster, slower, even out and unravel into a string of beauty to the ears. Sometimes all at once. Each stroke of the strings and banging of the drums and beautiful rattling of the tambourine, Nima met. She met the harmonies, aiming to do each gorgeous note the justice it deserved.

Every move she tried her hardest and with every move she danced with the wind. On the ship, there wasn't any music, but the waves lapping against the side of the ship served as her music, the whistling in her ears, the seagulls flying overhead, the rippling of _The Waterbender's_ flag flying high. Sometimes they had music night where her uncles would play the instruments and she would dance under the stars with her family.

Nothing got her blood going nor put her so serenely to sleep each night as this. Absolutely nothing.

"Hey, that's the girl from _The Waterbender_ , right? Captain Kai's daughter? With Governor Tenzin's oldest daughter?"

"I think so… it really looks like her from those drawings, doesn't it? The Wave Dancer, don't they call her?"

And hearing what others had to say only made it better.

The music ended too soon. Several tunes passed by and she'd worked up a sweat. Around her, the crowd cheered - both for her and the musicians - and from there it was routine. She bowed to the audiences, making a last lap of twirling as they flicked their coins to the street for her and the band. After sharing a mutual thanks with the musicians for the collaboration, she changed back into her casual skirts and was on her merry way, precious coin jingling in her satchel. Today had been a lucrative day.

"But these are terrible quality!"

Nima glanced back over her shoulder, seeing a finely dressed woman standing in front of a fruit cart, chortling to herself. The woman was alone, white skirts fitted perfectly to her and brown hair swept up into an updo. A fine summer outfit for a lady of high society. From the sounds of it, rich too, and it made Nima frown.

"Forgive me, Miss," said the old woman at the fruit stand. "All my best apples have been taken for the day. This is alI I have left…"

"It's atrocious," sniffed the woman. "How can you call yourself a merchant with such abysmal quality items."

The old merchant woman didn't say anything, only pursed her lips miserably and clasped her hands in front of her.

Probably hoping you'll leave her in peace, thought Nima bitterly as she passed through the crowd to get a better look at the two.

"Oh, very well," sighed the rich woman dramatically. "I suppose I'm starved enough. I'll take two apples. And make it snappy. They look absolutely unappetizing, but I'm hungry and simply can't wait another moment. Be happy the gods are gracing you with my money."

Arrogance couldn't even _describe_ this woman. She sounded as if she were a step above mankind the way she talked and strutted like a peacock eagle. Disgusted, Nima kept her head down as she came to nearly pass the woman.

"No, those won't do…. ah, yes. Those ones are the best. They're so bruised, but if that's all you seem capable of mustering up I'll have to settle for them," simpered the rich woman.

Oh, no you don't, thought Nima and in a whim, her fingers slipped along the rich woman's fine satchel that she'd left so clumsily open to grab her money pouch. Undetected, Nima's hand was like a ghost, gently carrying the pouch out of the woman's satchel and underneath the waistband of Nima's skirt.

Three… two… one…

"...m-my money!" cried the rich woman when she'd surely finally realized her pouch was gone. "It's not in my satchel! Where the- did you take it!? Or did you!?"

Nima almost jumped at that last cry, but as the woman's voice died from her ears it became clear that she'd gotten away with her escapade. Rounding a corner, she grabbed the rather heavy pouch from where it was tucked into her skirts. She examined the velvety material, smiling to herself.

"Nice weight." She bounced the pouch in her palm for a moment before looking in it and her eyes widened. All gold. Not a single copper or silver piece in sight. She grinned. "What a treat."

All that gold could be used to repair that one spot on the deck from after her Uncle Momo and Uncle Appa had come back to the ship especially drunk a couple weeks ago in Baoshi Harbor. And maybe she could take one or two coins to buy a couple new things for her wardrobe. A few of her slippers were getting a bit worn out after all… but then again, the twins' birthday was coming up in a few months. Perhaps she should save it for a nice gift . For all Rama was a little cretin, Nima didn't mind the idea of getting him a new book to read and Taani could use a new journal to press her flowers in…

With this much money on her, Nima rattled off all the things in her mind she could buy with it. She wanted to get a really nice gift for her Uncle Imaru after the lovely anklet he'd given her that day. The thought made he beam like a child right up until she realized she'd have to explain to her parents how she'd gotten _so_ much money in one sitting.

She sighed and smacked her forehead with her palm

Great.

Perhaps she could break it to them later. When her father was really busy and listening to several things all at once. Yeah, that would have to do.

She got back to the ship, still turning over ideas in her head on how to break this to her father. Her mother might be a bit more understanding - maybe - but her father on the other hand…

"Hi, sweetheart," greeted her mother when she'd boarded the ship. "How did the dancing go?"

Nima grinned wide.

"Good," she said, forcing herself not to fidget with her satchel. "It went well. Not bad at all. Sorry, I got to get to the privy so-"

"Oh, here then. I'll take your bag to your room."

Nima blanched when her mother walked over from her work at her Uncle Otaku's desk and picked up the bag slung over Nima's shoulder. Jinora's eyes widened and she set her eyes on her daughter.

Nima gulped.

Shit, she cursed mentally. She knows.

"Nima, this is _awfully_ heavy," said her mother, sounding astonished. "In fact, I don't think you've ever made more money than this. You must have had to become a pretzel for people to throw so much money on the ground."

Not too far from them, Nima inwardly sighed at what she could see was a frown on her father's face as she strode over to them, lifting the bag from her mother's hands gently. He raised his eyebrows.

"Dancing, huh?" he asked, getting to the point.

"It was just a really good day," insisted Nima. "People were literally just throwing it and-"

"Nima, you are a terrible liar," said her mother.

Her father nodded, crossing his arms. "Spill it."

Looking between both her parents, Nima exhaled restlessly.

"I kin'of mirrof taken…" she murmured under her breath, but one look at her parents told her to speak up. She grimaced, her shoulders slumping in resignation. "I took it off this rich lady in town."

Both Jinora and Kai frowned at their eldest child, but Kai narrowed his eyes especially at her.

"Nima," he began sternly. "How many times have we told you about taking things that aren't yours? This isn't what we do and your mother and I have never raised you to b-"

"But Dad!" stammered Nima, dropping her bag to the floor. "You should have heard her! She was _terrible_ to this lady just trying to sell some fruit! If you were in my shoes-"

"I would have said something to the woman instead of taking hard earned money from her pocket-"

Nima scoffed. "Hard earned? She was dressed head to toe in stuff so expensive it probably came straight woven from clouds. She can't have worked _that_ hard for it."

At that, her mother put a hand on her hip.

"Nima, you don't know that," said her mother sternly. "You can't assume everyone behaves a certain way just because they're from a certain class. We've taught you better than that."

Nima almost felt herself whining.

"But _mom_ , she was just so horrible to the other lady and just think about all the stuff now that we can use it for instead of her bullying fruit cart ladies over."

Kai sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose and looked at his child. Nima knew that he was trying not to say the first thing that came to his mind, contemplating the words that would come out of his mouth next. It made Nima pout a little.

"Nima," he put a hand out in his "let's get this straight" way he always did when he wasn't having any of it. "No child of mine is going to steal money from people off the street. We don't do that. On this ship, we don't steal-"

Nima made a face. "Dad, we're _pirates_. Like, you're a Pirate Lord. I'm sure you know what pirates do by now-"

"Quit interrupting me. You're not helping yourself." She shut her mouth at his tone. "And your mother and I _as well_ as your uncles have all told you the same thing: we're pirates with morals. Stealing is not under our agenda unless we _have_ to and the people truly deserve it. You don't know if that lady was just having a bad day-"

"Dad-"

"What did I just say?" He frowned at her.

She frowned right back, practically sulking. God, it just wasn't _fair…_

"Fine," she mumbled, looking away. "Can I go to my room now?"

He nodded and she immediately stalked off, dragging the satchel back onto her shoulder as she did.

-:-:-:-

Kai sighed, swearing a black cloud followed Nima as she went below deck. He hated to be the bad guy, but… she had to learn. Before either he or Jinora could exchange too many words, a familiar calm voice reached his ears.

"She's just like you, y'know," said Yung, looking on at his sulking granddaughter before she disappeared.

Kai made a face, but one look at Jinora made him sigh. "Well, that's why I'm trying to teach her. I stole on the streets for a good reason. She does it because she thinks she's some kind of vigilante."

Yung raised his eyebrows and exchanged looks with Jinora.

"If only he knew his face sits right next to the definition of vigilante," he said to Jinora.

Jinora bit her lip, a grin splitting her lips as Kai scowled.

"Okay, okay, I get that, but-"

"Love, just accept the fact that she gets it from you," said Jinora, rubbing his arm soothingly. "She got it from somewhere, you know."

Kai sighed. "But after everything we've ever said." He rubbed his face. Of course, kids weren't always going to do what you told them. "Stealing? I thought we raised her better than that."

"She has a mind of her own. Just like Rama when he decides to be a smart aleck toward her on a bad day and just like Taani when you tell her not to go do something by herself and she still does it anyway." Jinora patted his arm and pecked him on the cheek. "I'm going to go check on her."

Kai smiled weakly when she did and sighed for the umpteenth time, leaning against the inner side of the ship. Yung joined him, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Sometimes I think that kid is more pirate than I am," he said.

"Well, in some ways she is."

Kai groaned. "Oh, don't say that."

"No, but really," continued Yung, shrugging slightly. "She was born on this ship. She learned to walk on this ship, talk on this ship… hell, you even _conceived_ her on this ship."

Kai snorted, making a face at him.

"Hey, I'm just being honest. I found you in an alley in the city when you were nine. You had to _become_ a pirate. She was literally _born_ a pirate. It's her whole life. Pirate is all she knows."

Kai sighed through his nose, feeling a migraine coming on.

"I know," he said, frowning. "That's what really worries me."

-:-:-:-

"And you're sure this is the route? You're certain they know this is where your captain's ship is going?"

Captain Quil traced a blunt finger over the map's smooth surface. He slid his finger from the pinpointed position of Yun Ho up towards the small port city of Shukhekou. The young man beside him nodded to him and Captain Quil smiled lightly, straightening himself up.

"Good," said the captain. "And your name was again?"

"Danuma," said the young man curtly.

"Dauma," repeated Captain Quil and Dan wasn't sure he liked his name coming off the man's lips. It felt dirty. "Good work. I could use a man with your skills."

"Thank you," said Dan. "But I can't. I have a contract with Captain Teng of the Anti-Pirating Agency. If I don't honor my contract, my word as a bounty hunter won't mean a thing."

Dan observed the captain standing straight up, he was tall, even taller than Dan who was already slightly six foot himself, and his dark hair was long, curling under his shoulders. He was clearly Water Tribe, just like Dan himself - though from which tribe he didn't know - and his eyes were blue against brown skin. The large black hat on his head barely moved, as if it'd been there for ages at this point.

The captain looked at him for a moment, blue eyes flashing something unpleasant, but he seemed to let it go.

"Very well," said Captain Quill. "Understandable. I can respect a man who must protect his line of work. After all, that's what this is all about. Your employer knows that more than anything. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come to me."

The captain grinned and Dan nodded curtly, unsmiling. Since when did Captain Teng cohort with slave traders? Sure, he knew the man wasn't a fan of his own employer, but this…?

Dan resisted the urge to shake his head as Captain Quill rolled up his map.

"Now then, I have a course to make way for. _The Waterbender_ is waiting for me."

* * *

Whew! Chapter 2 got real long! But important stuff happened here that will be better understood in a few chapters. Until then, there was also a lot of family stuff going on here, good and bad! Nima here is a pirate through and through and, though raised under a good roof, she's still lived her entire life as an outlaw on the seas, albeit an outlaw with morals. Pirates are supposed to break the rules of society, by nature, yet she's a pirate girl in the middle of her late teens with parents telling her not to. No matter what kind of pirates they are, they're still pirates and the very _word_ "pirate" rings a bell in her ears as something she wholly identifies with. It's a recipe for some parent-child conflict and how we got to the opening scene of this chapter will be a ride indeed over the new couple chapters.

I really do appreciate any feedback you guys decide to leave for this fic. Even if it's only just to point something out. Knowing that people read this really helps me keep it going and keep it running. It is indeed a kainora fic with fanchildren in it, but I do my absolute best to fully flesh out my kainora kids and have gotten to know them over a long period of time so I promise you that you won't be getting any half-assed characters if I have any kind of say in it! I'd love to hear from you and would love to read any reviews left behind! If you're reading this, please consider letting me know! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	3. Hard Questions

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Hard Questions  
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Smooth night air swept through Nima's hair, the scent of cool salt coloring the wind. She stared out tiredly at the passing sea as she leaned against the gunwales of the ship and tried not to fall asleep where she stood. In reality, she was exceptionally tired, but this happened often enough that she was used to it.

Most of the time her nightmares were manageable. The ones about Uncle Momo's neck scar were usually the most easily managed since she saw it every day. Even if it was a reminder of what she'd done, the impact had jaded slightly and the guilt settled in her belly.

But this night she had dreamt of other things. She dreamt of a girl dying from disease and another dragged away in chains, both of whose faces were so familiar to her.

She couldn't take it and apparently neither could her body because she was jolted awake by the loud clanking of shackles deep in her mind, cold sweat dampening her skin. Out in the night air, she got goosebumps from how cold it was, but she barely registered them. Most of the time when this happened she just got up and silently walked the deck. By now, her uncles knew that this was normal for her and courteously didn't bother her too much. Other times, she went up with them to talk, especially when it was her Uncle Momo.

As of right now, it was her Uncle Ryu high up in the crow's nest looking out. Now, she loved her Uncle Ryu, but he could be fairly boring at times and, even so, right now she just wanted to be left alone.

They'd left Yun Ho earlier that day and her and her father got along just fine - it wasn't exactly the first time he'd reprimanded her for stealing - but the incident had still soured her a bit. So what if she stole from some stuffy rich lady? She wouldn't have done it if the lady hadn't been so terrible to the merchant. Nima didn't have a sore spot for rich people, but she did have one for people who were just plain _rude_ to those who didn't do anything wrong. While she forked over the money she earned, her father hadn't wanted the money she took from the lady and told her she would "have to be responsible for that."

Admittedly, it'd hurt a bit, feeling mildly rejected for the act. Her mother explained to her that it was simply him trying to teach her to be responsible for her actions and she got that, but… it still hurt a little. It felt more like he didn't want to be associated with her dirty money.

It was hard to be alone with your thoughts sometimes, Nima thought. There were clearly people worse off than her. Far worse. Thoughts were enough to drive you a little mad though and without sleep…

She looked directly below her, the moonlight spilling over the lapping waves, surely unable to reach belly of the ocean below. It was nights like this that she thought about the bottom of the sea a lot.

Shaking it off as best she could, eventually, she went back inside to her room and got a few hours of sleep. Not nearly as much as she could have used, but enough that a cup of tea would get her through the day.

In the dining hall, her father raised his brows at her and she pouted. What did she do now?

"What?" she asked, her thin brows furrowed as she stuck out her bottom lip.

"You know what," said Kai. "We're porting soon and I want you to go find a responsible thing to do with that money. If you can't give it back then the least you can do is use it charitably. I'm sure there's an orphanage that could use that money more than you."

Nima frowned now, her eyebrows upturned.

"It was for _us_. _You're_ the one that wouldn't take it."

"Yeah, imagine that. It's almost like it's not ours," said Rama, nonchalantly taking a sip of his tea.

"Rama," sighed their father, his eyes closed and looking ready to rub the bridge of his nose.

"Shut up, Rama," snapped Nima.

Her father frowned at her. "Nima, don't start. But… yes, I guess your brother's right." That almost made her glare at Rama. "I don't feel too comfortable using stolen money like that to help fund our needs unless we were _truly_ desperate. Which we're not. There are poorer folks out there than us."

"What you're father is _trying_ to say." Her mother cut in before Nima could retort back. "Is that if the money is stolen, at the very least, it can be used for someone who probably really, really needs it... And there are many people out there who would put that to good use. Don't you think?"

"Well…" Nima looked at her, still slightly sullen. "Yes."

Her mother smiled at her and touched her cheek affectionately. It was enough to make Nima not feel quite so bad she supposed, but still, why did her father have to say it like that?

She glanced at Taani, her baby sister's face blank and sleepy as ever, silently eating her food like she usually did. In perfect honestly, neither of Nima's siblings seemed to pay her much attention about the noise at the table this morning. They didn't have to. They weren't the ones practically on trial. Not that they ever were or did much to sanction one...

Sometimes, her brother and sister were just so lucky.

-:-:-:-

When the ship docked, they ported in Yuanjiatan instead of Shukhekou, the town over. Yuanjiatan was a bit livelier anyway, so, she didn't exactly mind. The moment the ship's ramp hit the pier, Nima couldn't get off the boat any faster. Not out of excitement, but rather, a kind of pent up frustration.

Choking down shame, she immediately left their crew to their work as she went out to deal with her own task. She hadn't bothered to say much leaving the ship, using everyone's sudden business to slip away fairly quietly. Her father, she knew, had been very serious about finding a good use for the stolen money. It wouldn't exactly be hard to find, but she just wished that the thing hadn't been such a source of disappointment. Here she had hoped her father might praise her skills at sleight of hand - a trick _he_ had taught her when she was young - but instead, he reprimanded her for being a thief. Of course, she knew that he had only taught her a myriad of lesser honorable skills for situations where she really might need them, but hadn't she just been defending someone who was essentially being bullied?

Well, either way, her hope had backfired and it was a bitter pill to swallow. None that she wasn't too unfamiliar with by now, but it still never failed to sting just a little.

She wound her way around town, roving the brownish-grey cobblestone streets with sturdier slippers than she had in Yun Ho. There were no plans to dance this time. Just find a place to give this money away and get back on the ship where she could go to her room and stick her head into the proverbial sand after chores.

-:-:-:-

"I know that we don't approve of stealing from innocent people," said Jinora, putting her hand on her husband's back as she came around him. "But you _did_ teach her how to be that slick with it."

"I never meant for her to use it like that though." Kai put an arm around her and kissed her temple.

"Just like you never meant for her to use her pick-locking skills to get into the cookie pantry, but how many times did we catch her with crumbs around her mouth and chocolate on her fingers?"

Kai almost grinned at the thought. "Too many times to count."

"And, yet, you still continued to teach her."

"It was a _safety precaution_. Not the same time."

Now, Jinora smiled at him.

"I realize that Rama and Taani are a bit more well-mannered with these things, but they've always been our introverted babies. They don't like a whole bunch of attention anyways." She wrapped an arm around his waist. "I just think you're being a tad harsh on her."

He was silent for a moment, mulling it over. Perhaps he _had_ been a bit hard on her about the money. After all, what would he have done at her age? In fact, he'd done _a lot_ worse at her age. While he didn't approve, he couldn't completely blame her for the deed if what she said was the truth and he didn't doubt that. Even if he didn't trust her - which he did - Nima wasn't exactly the best liar anyhow.

"You think so?" he asked her quietly.

She brought her index finger and thumb less than an inch apart.

Kai sighed.

"You know, sometimes I don't know what I'm doing here," he said almost inaudibly, planting a kiss in his wife's hair, somewhat comforted by her hand rubbing his back. "I'm just… God, I'm just worried about her. She just goes out there and does all these things that I can think of a thousand ways could have gone wrong and just-"

"Love, she's going to make _mistakes_. And do things that maybe she shouldn't have," said Jinora gently, putting a hand on his chest. "But even I did those. Nima's a good girl. A smart, good girl. Her heart is in the right place. Now, her head just kind of has to meet it somewhere in the middle."

"I know," he groaned. "Man, I have to apologize to Yung."

Jinora frowned.

"Why's that?"

"Because if I'm stressing out this much over the little things Nima does then I can only imagine all the near strokes I probably gave him."

"It was only by the grace of gods that I didn't start greying way earlier than this," remarked Yung, his voice passing behind them.

Kai snorted.

Perhaps... perhaps his daughter would be just fine.

Where was she anyway? Didn't she have chores she was supposed to be doing on deck? Last he saw, she was in the dining hall…

He scanned the deck and froze the second his eyes laid on the ramp. Inwardly, he groaned again. She knew she wasn't supposed to go anywhere unless she told either he or Jinora.

He closed his eyes. "Please tell me you know where Nima is and she didn't leave the ship without a word to either of us."

When Jinora didn't answer, he could almost hear her pursing her lips instead. He sighed again.

"God damn it."

-:-:-:-

How was there not a single orphanage in this town?

Or, maybe, they were in places far from the town square? Sometimes, she noticed, that orphanages and charities, unless they were rather ornate and dramatic temples, were kept in the corners - shadowy or not - parts of town where people didn't have to look at them on a daily basis. It made Nima's stomach squirm.

She had thoughts to give it to a nice, small temple that could use some patch work or even split the money between a few causes. In the end, that's exactly what she did, trickling the money here and there between two or three places.

Each grateful smile was worth it though and it made her not feel so bad about taking the money now, no matter what her parents said. These people, as _they_ even said, needed the money far more than she did. Still, it also made her wonder if having the money in _her_ possession had deprived another soul of it as well in Yun Ho. Even if the woman was terrible… did she _truly_ know where it came from and where it was going?

Maybe that was her father's point all along. On one hand, she was glad these people got it, but on the other hand, who had she hurt by taking it?

A guilty twinge twisted in her as she stared down at the fine velvety pouch still jingling with the money. Man, what a day. How much more could she-

"Do you have a copper to spare an an old man, miss?"

Nima looked down at whoever had croaked at her. The old man sat against a wall, his tattered grey cloak seemingly white once. Aside from the grunge on his cloak, his bare feet were dirty and he was covered in a layer of filth long unwashed. She had to resist the urge to crinkle her nose at the distinct odor he gave off, but she smiled and approached him slowly.

"Hello… are you okay?" she asked, frowning at the man who was seemed so weak he could barely stand. "Do you need help?"

"Just a copper, Miss," said the old man in a thin, quavering voice, looking up at her with striking molten colored eyes. He outstretched his hand. "A copper you can spare would be plenty. I'm just an old geezer compared to such a young beauty and I don't mean to take your time. I'm just hungry."

Nima swallowed.

"You don't look… well," she said, trying not to offend him. "I can take you somewhere. Somewhere you can be taken care of."

He shook his head.

"I have lived a long, long life and, forgive my impudence, I enjoy my independence. Such a youngster like you surely understands. Mother and Father always trying to hold your hand, do they, yes?"

She didn't answer back, but she knew what he meant. Well… she supposed she understood that. Though elderly people, she found, tended to be fiercely protective of whatever able freedom they had so long as they could move. Most of her uncles hated to be cooped up and they weren't anywhere near old age - well, most of them.

"Are you sure you're okay? Perhaps, even a healer?" she asked, frowning slightly. At least a healer might be able to attempt to take care of him. Frail and skinny, the man looked so ill, his hair as if it was falling away in clunks.

He shook his head and weakly attempted to extend his hand again.

"A copper is all I require, Miss. Just a copper. I've already taken too much of your time."

Looking around at the fairly slow street, Nima swallowed hard. She didn't want anybody shady to see her hand this off to a defenseless elderly man. Quickly, she handed the whole bag of money to him, half shoving it in his hand and under his cloak for him. His face fell when he peered inside, flabbergasted.

He stammered. "Oh, Miss… no, I-I can't-"

But Nima didn't wait for him to give it back. She shook her head at him, smiling as she swiftly walked away.

"No, it's okay," she said quietly just for him to hear as she left. "It's okay."

With all that money he could probably get some decent food, new clothes and even somewhere to stay for a good while. Maybe even permanently if he found the right spot. Perhaps she shouldn't have squandered it all in one place, but… it felt right.

Who knew anyway? Maybe it would lead to something good for someone else too.

-:-:-:-

She knew something was wrong the second she laid eyes on her father, arms crossed and staring down at her from the top of the ramp.

Really?

She stifled a whine.

"I was only gone for a little while," she said as she boarded the ship. Facing him now, she knew that was a fairly weak answer. "I found somebody to give the money to and-"

"Nima, you have to _tell us_ when you leave the ship." He ran a hand down his face, grooming down the hair under his lips and over his chin in the most exhausted fashion. "For the love of- Why can't you just _listen_ to us for once?"

Nima's mouth dropped open slightly. "I was just doing what you told me to!"

"You can do that while still _telling_ us when you leave the ship! Nima, you have no clue what the hell is going on out there. What if there was something out there and I didn't want you to leave right away?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Dad, there's _always_ something out there! God, I never do anything the way you want me too, do I?"

"Because you never listen!" He rubbed his forehead. "When we tell you that you have chores, you sleep in instead. When we tell you not to go somewhere, you go to that place. When we tell you not to do something, somehow, _some way_ you always find a way to do just that and it's always never a big deal to you. Yes, I _get_ it that I told you to go out and find something to do with the money, but _damn it all_ , Nima, you know what you did wrong."

She bit the inside of her lip, trying not to outright say everything on her mind.

 _You know what you did wrong_.

She did indeed and that was pretty much everything to him, wasn't it? In the span of a breadth, he'd practically accused her of being the most insubordinate person alive. Okay, sure, she occasionally tried to get out of her chores. Occasionally. Maybe a little more than occasionally.

She liked naps. Make her walk the plank.

Her mother sighed. "Sweetheart, what we mean is that-"

"That you want to protect me, but you never actually elaborate on any of those stuff. You're just going to keep telling me it's for my safety, even though-"

"-you're right, we're just trying to protect you," said her father. "And you don't want to understand-"

"The same way I didn't understand what a prostitute was?" snapped Nima. Her fists clenched at her sides and she grinded her teeth, her jaw tight. It was always the same thing with them. They wanted to protect her, but never completely explained any of the things they wanted to protect her from. Even after she'd met Captain Quil… even then they'd still sought to shelter her and the twins. Then, there was this. This where she did what she was told, but still got in trouble for it after one measly detail.

Her father's face slacked and his eyes softened slightly.

"And that was a failure on our part," he said quietly. "We'll readily admit that and we have. That much we should have told you. However."

Oh, here they go. Nima rolled her eyes.

"Don't get that look with me. That is not the point of this discussion," he said firmly. "You need to tell us when you're leaving the ship, Nima. What if something happens to you? What if you didn't come back and we didn't realize it immediately because we thought you'd been below deck? Or in your room? What if you disappeared and we didn't know what to start?"

She didn't say anything. Though she was still miffed at her parents - her father mostly - she didn't exactly have an answer to that. At the same time, she was old enough to realize that they sheltered her. Sure, they let her go out and dance and do things on her own, but the second she stepped a single toe out of line it was like they rained hellfire down on her. It wasn't like she wasn't armed or trained how to fight and she'd gotten a lot better at it over the past four years since meeting Captain Quil.

She left without telling them and she shouldn't have, but could they blame her? In reality, she just hadn't wanted to see her father's face when she told him she was going to leave because she was half convinced he was going to give her that look again. That look as if he was saying " yeah, you do that."

Even now, that face was there although it was colored by flashes of anger and sternness.

"Can I just go to my room?" she crossed her arms irritably.

"No. We're not done."

"Well, I don't want to keep looking at you right now," she retorted, wishing she could bite back the sharpness in her voice and the comment itself when she saw her father raise his eyebrows. He almost seemed hurt for a moment.

He stared at her for a moment, as if chewing on something in the back of his mind, then frowned.

"Fine. Get-" Her mother put a hand on his shoulder and he seemed to swallow down his original phrase. "Just go, Nima."

Feeling bitterness seep into her mouth, she did so, going below deck and trying not to let tears leak from her eyes as she crossed through the halls, slamming the door in her wake. She was wrong. She knew that.

She should have just said she was sorry and that she wasn't going to do it again. Like a good daughter.

But it was hard to see him standing on the ramp, arms crossed and looking down at her like that. It made her feel small and like she'd been sentenced to a walk of shame. It wasn't fair. Why did he look at her like that? He _used_ to look at her like she was the most special thing in the world and, sometimes… sometimes, he still did. But the older she got it seemed the less pleased with her he always was and every little wrong thing she did was just the worst thing in the world.

It made her not want to understand that they wanted to protect her because it didn't feel like that. For some reason, it just felt like she was less and less special to them. To him.

She just didn't feel like their little girl anymore.

-:-:-:-

"Love, I _know_ -"

"I love her," began Kai, pacing back and forth in front of Otaku's desk. "You know I do, but sometimes she is the most insufferable-" He stopped himself. "She just doesn't get it. She thinks she's invincible! And I know… I know we really let her down when she met Quil. _I_ really let her down-"

"Captain-"

"-But at the same time, that's exactly what I'm trying to prevent! What if she goes out there and something like that happens again? Jinora-"

" _Kai_. Love, look at me please."

When he felt her hands on his shoulders, he slumped and turned around, rubbing his temples. He _tried_. He really tried with his daughter, but it wasn't like he knew what he was doing either. Hell, he'd never had an example what with both his parents having been out of his life since he was two and any other examples of family…

Well, he had no traditional family growing up and raising a family with that in mind, plus being captain of a ship, plus trying to keep his own sanity wasn't like a boat ride on the lake.

Jinora smiled at him and, for a moment, he forgot his worries. She pulled him in for a chaste kiss on the lips. He returned it gently, melting into her. God, what did he do to deserve her?

She cupped his face in his hands and sighed. "Love… you're both frustrated. She should have told us where she went. To her point, we're pirates. She _can_ defend herself a lot better than four years ago. Captain, we've raised her well. We have to trust her. Don't get me wrong, I want to know when she leaves this ship too. Like you said, she thinks she's invincible and she's not, but we have to meet her in the middle."

Kai took her hands from his face and into each of his own hands.

"Gyatso, that's exactly what I'm afraid of. In a nicer, safer way of life the middle is a fine place to be, but to her point, we're _pirates_. The middle has gotten a thousand men and a thousand men over thrown dead into the sea."

He just wanted her to be safe. Didn't Nima understand that? Why couldn't she understand that the world was a terrible place sometimes and he wanted to keep her from some of the horrors of the earth? The big, bad sea that was all at the same time wondrous in its ways.

Jinora met his eyes squarely.

"I know that," she whispered and he knew she understood. "She's only sixteen though. One day, she'll understand. Until then, keep your cool. Let me tell you, the worst thing a teenage girl wants to feel like is that her daddy thinks she's not capable of anything on her own. Because then-" A grin crew on her face and a giggle sputtered out. "She goes off and marries a handsome pirate and gives her daddy a heart attack when he meets the man and all his tattoos."

Kai smiled at that.

"Yeah, we can't have that at all." He grinned back and swung an arm around her shoulders. "But I hear you. I'm trying, honey, I'm trying."

-:-:-:-

The next day, they remained in Yuanjiatan. Despite the stretched feeling in her chest, Nima smiled at her parents that morning at breakfast. She wanted to tell them that she felt like less than their kid, but that probably would have started another fight and she sure didn't need any of those.

Her father seemed to be over their words of the day before, going back to normal, but Nima wasn't sure she could forget the way he looked at her. Instead, her cheeks strained from smiling against their will and the day was a constant fight with her eyes not to cry or well up with tears.

She did her chores impeccably and didn't nap at all that day- despite being up just about all night. That day, she broke one of her Uncle Daw's dishes when it slipped out of her hand.

She'd been watching a flock of birds flying by from the window, not one of them left behind as they soared in unison.

-:-:-:-

"She's acting funny today," said Yung, frowning at his granddaughter just across the deck of the ship.

"Why do you say that?" asked Skoochy. "Cause she and Kai are at odds again?"

"Aren't they always these days?" asked Pabu, looking at Momo beside him.

"I think he means cause' she's doing her chores really well," said Momo, frowning as he took a swig of beer. They were taking a break, all of them, except for Nima who seemed determined to swob the deck spotless. "I mean, she always does them well… when we can get her to do them. But today she's just doing them, I don't know... _too_ well."

"You mean like an obsessed jackrabbit?" Skoochy blew a puff of smoke. "Yeah, you know how she is. She's probably just trying to keep it under wraps. She's like her pops, after all."

"If you four keep on standing here, the Captain's going to hear you and get into a foul mood," Lefty's peg leg thudded loudly once as he came up beside them. "They're going to work it out. Remember when he was that age?"

"Well, he was Captain at that age."

"He was still sixteen. Smartest pair of lips I've ever met and he's doing alright. He's just a Dad now. I remember the rest of you. Hell, I remember _you_ , Momo."

"Yeah, but me and Uncle Appa never really fought much. Even now…" Momo absently scratched the scar lining the front of his neck, stretch from side to side. "Don't you think it's a bit… I don't know, not good for them to be like this?"

"Course not," he sighed, limping past them. "Why don't you fellas head on below deck. Daw made some of those chocolate chip cookies you all are always bugging him for."

"Oh, good, I'd kill for one of those." That was Skoochy, his voice disappearing as he made a straight beeline for the dining hall.

-:-:-:-

Nima looked up, hearing a single loud thump. She smiled wide, maybe a bit too wide, when she saw her Uncle Lefty walking around the spot she'd finished mopping up. He flashed a smile at her, observing the spot so clean they could both see their reflections in it.

"See?" she grinned. "Practically looks new."

Lefty chuckled.

"Yeah, as new as I've ever seen it, darlin'" He smiled, leaning against the gunwales of the ship and gestured for her to come with him. "Come over here. I wanna talk to ya."

Nima bit the inside of her lip.

"Yeah?" she asked smiling, her cheeks straining.

"You don't have to look like that if you don't want, you know," he told her when she stood next to him. "It's okay to frown a bit."

Nima acted as if she didn't hear him. "Do you think this is good enough?"

"If you're asking if your dad is going to like it, then yes, I do." He shifted a little bit, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned toward her a little bit, keeping his voice low. She could feel him watching her, looking for a falter in her voice or the flick of an eyelash. "You're dad is just tryna protect you, y'know? And he's only doing that because you mean the world to him."

Then she wondered what went wrong in his world.

Not that she knew all that much, now that she thought about it. He never told them about his past much, if at all. She didn't know who his parents were or where he'd come from. Her father was a bit of a mystery in perfect honesty.

"I'm fine, Uncle Lefty," she straightened up and moved to walk away, still smiling at him. "Really? does this face look like it's upset?"

"You're just like him," he said, smiling back in a less happier fashion. "He worries is all. Only wants what's best for ya... can you do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

"Remember that we love you?" he said. "Including your dad. He's a bit rough around the edges, I know, but aren't we all? He's been through some things and it ain't always easy."

"Like?" She finally turned completely around, her mask of smiles and cheer cracking enough to creak through her voice. "What's he been through? He never tells us. Not a peep. How can I appreciate that when I don't understand it?"

"You're not supposed to appreciate it. There's nothing to appreciate. And if there is then it's the opportunity to make sure you kids don't end up rough around the edges the same way he is… do you understand what I'm saying? Nima, your dad loves you and your brother and sister. That's all."

She didn't tell her uncle that sometimes she wondered if it was possible for someone to not love their children as much as they used to. That she wondered if all parents lost the spark in their eyes when they saw their children eventually or was that just how her father felt about her because he was "rough around the edges" like he'd said? What about her then? Had she done so many things wrong that she was like a bad experience? The first born child who didn't turn out like he'd hoped? It killed her to wonder, but wonder more often than not these days she did.

"I will," she said quietly and walked away after one last smile.

-:-:-:-

"Dad, where did you come from?"

When her father looked up from his desk in her parent's quarters, he blinked at her.

"Say again?"

Nima swallowed. "Where did you come from?"

He raised his eyebrows at her, still blinking. Moving a paper aside across his desk, he rubbed his chin, observing her. "I've kinda always been a sailor, Neems," he told her vaguely, smiling weakly. "You know that. I'm from everywhere."

"That's not a real answer," she said before she could stop herself. He frowned at her. "I-I mean that you have to have been born _somewhere_ , right?"

Kai shifted his weight onto one leg, staring at his daughter. He crossed his arms.

"What?" she asked when he didn't answer. She stood near the door of his quarters, fidgeting with her fingers. A part of her came here because she wanted to understand her father more. If she understood him more then maybe she could get back whatever she'd lost of him.

"Where is this coming from, exactly?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

She shook her head. "Nowhere. I just wanted to know…"

He uncrossed his arms spoke, slowly. "Well, sweetheart,I really am from everywhere. You could even say I was born on this ship."

She could say?

What kind of answer was that? Did… did he not know where he was born at?

"Dad, did you have parents?"

He stiffened. For a long moment, he didn't say anything, just stared at her, unblinking even. Nima squirmed under his gaze, but kept it. Was that… a no?

"Dad, did you-"

"I heard what you said," he cut her off. "Nima, why are you asking all these questions?"

She frowned a little, taken aback, and her eyes narrowed just slightly.

"Well, I mean, I'm just trying to get what you're protecting me from. I guess," she continued. "I thought if I knew more then I could-"

"If this is because you're still upset about what we talked about yesterday, then, you know, I _can_ give you extra chores," he said all of sudden stern, angry even. Like he was scolding her and she'd done something wrong. She knew that tone. "That can very much be arranged."

He brows upturned and her mouth fell open.

"Chores? Like to _punish_ me?" Her brows swooped down sharply now. "I didn't do anything!"

"You're still clearly upset about it-"

"Because I just wanted to understand what was your deal? And, you know," she began, putting her hands on her hips. "Now, that you're getting so defensive about it I _do_ just want to know. How come you don't tell us anything about where you came from? And why do you not know where you were born? Like, it's okay to not know, but why don't you just _tell_ us you don't know-"

"Nima, that's enough," he said, turning away from her to go back to his desk. "Go upstairs and swab the deck."

Crackles of angry firecrackers burst in Nima's veins and she saw color in her vision. This wasn't _fair_.

"Who're your parents?" she demanded. "And why don't you ever tell us anything about them? If they're even dead or alive?"

"I'm not going to tell you again-"

"I want to know!"

" _Go upstairs, Nima_." He pointed toward the door and she could see one hand crumpling a paper in his fist. " _Now_."

She let out a breath.

No.

She wouldn't go away until she could _understand_. What was it? What was it that had made made him so rough around the edges? And was that the thing that made the bridge between them fall? And why wouldn't he tell her? Tell any of them? Did he not trust her? Why? Where had it been that along the lines he was angry with her more than he was happy with her? Why did his eyes darken more often these days than light up at the sight of her?

As of late, within the year especially, she felt like she had to fight for the spark in his eyes.

What _was_ it?

"Why won't you tell us about your mom or your dad? Not even a little bit?" she asked, her voice lowering just a little. "What's so hard about that?"

His head snapped to her.

"What's so _hard_ about that?" he hissed at her and her hands fell from her hips at the way his eyes flashed at her. " _You don't know anything. Not a damn thing. You want to know about my parents? Do you? My parents have both basically been dead since I was two! THERE. Are you happy? Does that make you feel better?"_

Nima's eyes widened and she crossed her arms in front of her, taking a slight step back. "W-why are you-" She summoned her voice, searching for something to say to that. _Anything_ to say to that because, frankly, she had _not_ been expecting that answer. Unable to collect the crumbling tone in her words, she uttered the first thing that came to mine. "Y-you don't have to yell at me!"

" _You just don't get it. You never STOP. I ask you to do anything and it's the exact opposite from you and there are some things I don't need you challenging! You don't have to know everything! You don't have to know a damn thing about me aside from the fact that I'm your father and you listen to me! Not the other way around!"_

" _I'm your daughter! I deserve to know! Why is that so goddamn hard?"_ she yelled back now, throwing her hands into the air. Now, her temper flared and her face went hot, her eyes were probably wide, a manic green staring back at him. She could hardly think with him shouting at her and she almost shouted back just to protect herself. " _Why can't I know? I'm more than old enough to!"_

" _You're a little girl and don't tell me you're not because you certainly act like one! Every. Single. Fucking. Time. I tell you not to do something, you do it! I'm doing my best here with you, but you don't want to help yourself. Just do what you're fucking told and quit talking back all the damn time!"_

" _Is that what_ _ **your**_ _dad told you!?"_ She leaned forward with the effort, shouting at him so loud her throat would almost certainly be hoarse. Her fists clenched white and she met his booming volume with her own. It'd been a long time since she'd been _this_ angry at someone and it _definitely_ had been a long time, if she'd ever, been this angry with him.

She just wanted to know _what was it?_

" _You don't know anything about that. But for your information, my father was an asshole-"_

" _WELL YOU'RE CERTAINLY ACTING LIKE HIM!"_

She nearly stumbled, yelling at him so loud she was almost afraid she might have tore something in her throat. Panting, Nima met her father's eyes, the same shades of green staring back at each other. The world seemed to have stopped, almost, until she heard the faint sound of thumping coming their way.

The footsteps didn't make it before her father seemed to completely go blank. Blank and hollow as if looking at her made him feel sick and she knew that she said something very, _very_ wrong. She crossed her arms in front of her, reaching a hand up as if to clasp it over her mouth, but she didn't say anything either.

God, she didn't know what to do right then.

But she also couldn't take the way he looked at her. Almost with contempt…

She backed out the door, backing out and backing out until her feet were in the hall.

She turned, fleeing, running away from those eyes that didn't seem to hold an ounce of affection for her and from the door slam that could have shook the seas.

Nima nearly collided with her mother as she swung around a corner.

"Nima, sweetheart?" she asked, slightly panicked and her eyes filled with worry. "Are you okay? I heard yelling and somebody slammed a door? It sounded like you and father. Are you two okay? What was it?"

That's what she'd set out to answer. That very question.

Nima didn't reply, feeling like a cat-deer caught in the middle of the street, not even sure her body were out of shock yet.

What was it?

Well, now, she was pretty sure it was her.

* * *

Nice, long chapter, but a lot happened here. It's not like Nima and Kai have a terrible or even bad relationship. But parent-child can get really serious even between the closest of parents and kids. Kai just wants to protect her and it's pointed out multiple times that he's just worried about her (by the rest of the crew no less), but just because somebody tells her "he's just worried about you' is gonna make her feelings suddenly absolve themselves. It's a bit of a tough situation and neither party is really helping themselves too much.

Guys, I really appreciate it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me writing and really keep me going! This fic hasn't gotten that much of a response so any feedback, even if it's just to point something out or mention something, is still really appreciated! Either way, thank you for reading this!

Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	4. Cold Shoulder

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Cold Shoulder  
****

* * *

Nima stayed in her room for the rest of the day. After she'd nearly collided with her mother, she ran to her room and closed the door, not opening it at all no matter who knocked or called her name. Not even when dinner came around and she was very much starving. If she ate thinking about the way her father had looked at her with so much contempt, she probably wouldn't be able to keep it down anyway.

She didn't know what she'd said was bad, but she certainly did now. Her father looked just so _done_ with her and his eyes so hollow and cold when those words had come out of her mouth. He never talked about his parents and, in the moment, she'd forgotten that perhaps there was a very good reason for that. But… she'd only wanted to know and even then, she only wanted to know because, perhaps, it would have helped her fix whatever it was that she had broken.

She had hoped that perhaps it would help her understand why he seemed disappointed in her.

Fat chance of that now. Right now, he was probably absolutely _fuming._ It would take the rest of the day just for him to cool down and talk to her.

"Sweetheart?" Nima's head whipped up from her book at the sound of her mother's voice. "Nima, I know you're in there. Can you let me in?"

When Nima took her time answering, getting off her bed very slowly, her mother tried again. "Please?"

Nima opened the door, turning the knob nervously, her shoulders hunched when she met her mother's eyes that seemed so tired and hurt all of a sudden. Had she been able to talk her father down?

"Is… is he okay?"

Her mother didn't answer. Nima's shoulders slumped.

"I didn't meant it," she said, frowning sadly. "I just wanted to know more about him…"

Her mother came into the room, closing the door behind her as she did. She looked at Nima with anxious brown eyes.

"Sweetie… what did you _say_ to him?"

Nima cringed. "I… just asked him a few questions…?"

Her mother frowned. "That resulted in you two shouting so loud that we could hear it on deck? Nima, what did you ask your father? When I tried to talk to him he _really_ didn't seem in the mood to talk, even to me…"

Nima looked down at the ground. So, he _was_ still upset.

"I… I just asked him where he came from and he didn't really give me an answer, so, I kept asking and he said he was going to give me extra chores." She looked at the ground, fidgeting with her skirts between her fingers. "And so I got mad and I started asking him about his parents-"

"Oh, no." Her mother groaned, reaching to rub her temple now. She gestured for Nima to go on. "What else happened?"

"Well…" continued Nima in a small voice. "Then, he started getting really mad at me and yelling at me and so I told him not to and he told me about his parents being dead-" That gruesome little snippet her father had let slip and she hadn't been able to keep it from her brain. His parents were dead…? It was horrible to think about. Had her father been there to see it or...? "And long story short… he said his dad was a, er, well, an _asshole_ and I told him he was acting just like him."

Jinora's eyes widened as big as saucers looking at her daughter, her hand falling to her side. Her mouth fell open. "You did _what?_ "

"I didn't mean it!" Nima ran back to the safety and little comfort of her bed. "I was just mad at him and I didn't know I said anything _that_ bad!"

Her mother sat on the bed now, radiating a kind of fearful astonishment. "Nima... oh, sweetheart..." She began to shake her head.

"I didn't know!" Nima pulled her knees in and buried half her face in them. "I do now, but I didn't then!"

But her mother was rubbing her face with her hands and sighing over and over again. That only made Nima's fear grow even more. She had said the wrong thing _entirely_. From the way her mother was pacing, _anything_ would have been better to say than _that_ and a rotten feeling in the pit of her belly swelled with remorse.

I didn't mean it, she thought feebly.

"Nima, sweetie…" Her mother finally faced her. "Your father's parents… it's a _very_ delicate subject."

"Do you think he'll forgive me?"

"Well, your father's only human so it's going to be a second before he's okay," said her mother and the hope in Nima's chest crumbled.

"So… he's really, _really_ mad at me still, huh?"

Her mother pursed her lips and nodded slowly.

Nima slumped into her bed.

Great.

-:-:-:-

"Whatever you do, don't you dare go tell them. Not one little thing, do you understand me?"

Jinora crossed her arms over her chest,staring intently at Yung for an answer. She'd found him hovering around below sometime after dinner and had pulled him aside into the dining hall once it was empty. While she loved Yung, she could not have him going and spilling the beans even a little bit about Kai's past to the children.

"I wasn't going to do anything," he said innocently, shrugging. "What makes you think that?"

"Because I know you."

And you can't keep a secret to save your life, she thought half amused.

"...how did you know that I knew?" he asked her after a moment, eyes squinted slightly.

"Because I saw you talk to Lefty before dinner and Lefty knows everything that goes on this ship. You know that he's really quiet even with his peg leg. He was probably somewhere down here when Nima and Kai were fighting in the first place."

"Hmm," he hummed, clearly disappointed that she had guessed his method of sleuthing. "Okay, then, tell me again why II shouldn't go tell the kids just a _smidgen_ about Kai's past? At least Nima… Jinora, you know your girl. This is going to kill her if she doesn't find some kind of understanding."

Jinora only shook her head. She knew his intentions were good and, normally, Yung was _always_ spot on about what to do. Even this, really, wasn't so bad. But considering what just happened, it wouldn't' be exactly the best course of action. And, as Nima's mother, she had to steer things along.

"She has to hear it from Kai. Not you. Not even me, but _Kai._ You _know_ how Nima is. If it comes from anyone but him it'll probably just make her feel worse. She'll get it into her head that Kai didn't tell her _because_ of her and just…"

Yung looked at her for a moment, as if to evaluate her response. He pursed his lips and Jinora knew she'd won.

"That's true… but we also can't just let this drag out too long. Kai can get..."

It was her turn to nod now. "I know…" she said quietly. "But we have to give them time."

"Yeah, but, Jinora, you know he doesn't quite work like that. If anything, time is probably his worst enemy in these cases. It'll fester. Especially if it's about his parents. What exactly did she _say_ anyway? Do you know?"

When Jinora told him what Nima had said, Yung's eyes widened.

"You're kidding me," he said, mouth agape.

"I wish I was."

"Are you absolutely _sure_ you don't want me to say anything to her? If she understands then maybe they can work it out themselves."

"You know that she's just as sensitive as her father. I don't want you to tell her for the same reason you want to because of Kai." She let out a tired breath. "It'll fester."

-:-:-:-

Nima did as her mother advised her to do and gave her father the space he needed, but… after three days of silence between them there still didn't quite seem to be an end. She dared not ask anymore questions and her mother promised that after this they would sit all three of them, herself and the twins, and tell them more about their father. There was a sick feeling that bubbled up every time she thought about the fact that her father had probably been there to see his parents die and it was her fault he was thinking about it now. Her fault because she yanked that hatch open so violently. As for her father, he wouldn't say her name, wouldn't look at her and it was like she didn't exist. He was moodier than usual, but he still managed to eat dinner fairly normal save for the fact he basically wouldn't acknowledge her presence. On the fourth day, she tried to talk to him, but he carried on like nothing was there.

"Dad…?" She walked up to him gingerly where he was talking with her Uncle Skoochy at the steering wheel. Perhaps if she did it in front of all her uncles then maybe he would at least look at her. Or so she hoped. She called for him again, but, instead, he continued talking about something to Uncle Skoochy, even after her uncle stopped and was looking between them now.

She sucked in a breath and pulled a fruit tart wadded in a kitchen cloth from behind her back, unwrapping it and extending it to him. "I-I got this for you down at the kitchen. Uncle Daw made them. It's even strawberry like you-"

He barely batted an eye at the sound of her voice, clapping Uncle Skoochy's shoulder as he walked the opposite direction. "Keep us on course, Skooch. I want to be out and back into The Gold Coast as soon as possible."

He walked away, not turning his head and her heart sank past her stomach. Like it had fallen to pieces and the shards were buried in her lungs. She found it hard to breathe for a moment, blinking back tears.

Uncle Skoochy looked down at her sadly. "Hey, kiddo… it'll be alright. Your Dad's just a bit complicated is all… hang in there. Just keep trying."

Nima didn't even have it in her to nod. Something that kind of killed her more than anything was just how _easy_ it was for him to not look at her, speak to her, acknowledge her… he just shut her out and it was effortless it seemed.

She was just _so good_ at hurting people, wasn't she? God, she deserved this no matter how much it hurt. Her instincts told her to desperately try and win back her father's affections, but all she wanted to do was leave him alone. Maybe this was the gods punishment for all the times she'd brought her omens on other people. For _being_ an omen.

Perhaps this was the universe's way of telling her that she was a mistake...

At a point, Rama seemed like he was trying to help, dropping her name every once in a while when he talked to his father to which the conversation was quickly skirted around. Taani seemed to try and comfort her as well, bringing one of her books of pressed flowers to Nima so they could look through it together after a failed attempt at getting their father to forgive her. Even Mouse, their pet cat on board the ship, seemed to detect her distress and cuddled up next to her whenever he found the chance.

The next day, she tried again, but to no avail. She had tried to talk to him while he looked over more paperwork on Uncle Otaku's desk and he simply kept his back to her. Before lunch, she cornered him in the cargo room where he was checking on some loose crates, but no matter how hard she tried, he still wouldn't say a word and only pushed past her when she stood between him and the exit.

She hated this.

She hated this so much. At every turn and every thought she felt like she was going to cry, but she deserved it. She really did. It was a dumb argument and Nima should have been content with how things were perhaps. Maybe she should have just asked him outright if he was feeling weird about her or something and not said… not said what had led to _this_. The worst part about it was that her father seemed hurt beyond anything she could personally repair.

Qilaq help her, what had she done?

-:-:-:-

It was rather painful for Yung to watch Kai and Nima like this. Kai, of course, was in one of his phases at the moment, but, God, was it a _long_ one.

Kai never wanted to so much as acknowledge Nima's very existence even when they _spoke_ about her. After talking to a very concerned Jinora, Yung understood that Nima shouldn't have said what she said, but for the love of all that was good she was _sixteen_. Of _course_ , she would say things she shouldn't. She was going to make a lot of mistakes. On the other hand, Kai was a grown man in his late forties and while Yung would always be there to support him and would always understand… there had to be a line where enough was enough.

Nima hadn't moved her feet in a single dance step since all of this started. He felt a deep worried ache at that. It just wasn't _right_. Dancing gave Nima life like nothing else could. To see her unable to do it killed him. Nima, a girl so in love with dance that it echoed through her and across the seas and people dubbed her many names for it... why, she was famous for her dance! To see her unable to bring herself to so much as tap a foot… now, that was very wrong and it didn't sit well with Yung.

It was like Kai's silent treatment was breaking her spirit.

"You two can't go on like this…" Yung said to Kai one day on deck after dinner as they both looked out at the setting sun.

"Don't."

"I have to and don't you dare interrupt me this time." Yung went on. "She's only sixteen years old, Kai. And how was she supposed to know? She doesn't even completely understand why what she said was so bad-"

"Look," said Kai tersely. "I'm _really_ not in the mood to talk about this so-"

"But you're not even giving her a chance! It's going on four days and she's _trying_ so hard to make this up to you. Waking up early, doing her chores and even some that aren't hers, trying to apologize to you every single day… when is it going to be enough? Even Jinora is afraid to talk to you about this."

He could see Kai visibly shift. Always concerned more for others than himself, he was usually easily swayed by that point, but looked away this time.

"You know, Taani ignores me all the time."

It took a moment for Yung to realize that was neither himself or Kai and both men turned, Rama having perched himself on a crate with a book in hand, apparently trying to catch some natural sunlight before he was going to have to resort to candle.

"Rama, go downstairs," said Kai tiredly.

Rama glanced up from his book, making a face.

"But I'm reading. And last time I checked the sun was brighter than a candle," he said almost automatically and, for a moment, Yung forgot that Rama was not eleven year old Kai. Rama went back to his book. "Anyway-"

And there's Jinora, Yung noted.

"- Taani ignores me all the time, but that lasts for maybe a day. If she ignored me this long I'd be upset too."

Kai sighed. "Son, it's more complicated than that…"

"Yeah, but…" Rama put his book down on his lap. "If I did something wrong would you ignore _me_ like that? It's almost like you don't even love her anymore…"

Kai immediately stiffened and he shook his head. "No… No, Rama, that's not it at all. Of course, _of course_ , I love her. I love all three of you. All of you. It's just… way more complicated than that. This won't last much longer. I promise, okay? I'll work it out. I'll work it out, I promise."

Rama eyed his father for a moment, then nodded, seemingly satisfied and Yung could have kissed him. Good. Hopefully this would clear the air finally because Yung didn't want to say it and make things worse, but this was turning into a situation where Kai wasn't the only one in pain here.

-:-:-:-

It wasn't like he was doing this on purpose, but Kai could hardly look at his daughter. Sure, Yung was right and Nima didn't have a clue what the deal with his parents was, but that didn't stop it from igniting a very painful burning sensation in the back of his throat and in the cavity of his chest. He felt ready to _burst_.

He was _nothing_ like his father, he kept trying to remind himself, but that just wasn't working. Was he truly like his father…? Maybe? It wasn't like he had the greatest examples in the world, besides Yung, of course, and maybe he was just one part of an inevitable cycle. Perhaps he wasn't cut out to be a father. _Far_ too late for that, but he always tried… _always_ tried and for her to say that… needless to say, it was more than his pride that was wounded.

He just needed a bit of time. Time to pull himself together and not think about what she'd said every time he recognized her footfall. It wouldn't be forever. No, not forever. Never forever. He just couldn't be around her right now and, frankly, he didn't know what to else to _do._ This is always how he'd handled outbursts. In some form or way, that is. It wasn't something that he even knew how to fix. Normally, he just let his feelings ride out and eventually he could get them under control. Somehow.

Climbing into bed, he suppressed a groan when he found Jinora looking at him. Giving him _that_ look.

"I will talk to her," he told her.

"When?" she asked, propping herself on her elbows as she rolled onto her stomach. "Kai this has gone on so long. Almost a week! It's ridiculous! She said something out of turn-"

"You _know_ it's way more complicated than that, Gyatso," he said, a hint of a growl lying underneath his tone. "You _know_ that."

"I know that. I do," she said more quietly this time, but no less firm. "But it's hurting her too. She feels bad, Kai… and I know what it's like to be on the other end of your cold shoulder…"

Kai sighed, rubbing his face. "I know, Gyatso, I know. I'm _trying_ , okay? It's not like I'm enjoying this. I just can't… I don't even know _how_ to look at her right now, I really don't."

Jinora looked slightly horrified. "How could you say that?"

"Because I really don't know!" He finally told her, sitting up. "It's not like I've ever been really good handling the subject. _Ever_. Since you _met_ me. I can't look at Nima or talk to Nima because I _can't_."

He hated that everybody was acting as if this wasn't hurting him too. Like it didn't kill him that, for the time being, his own daughter's face and voice and name was synonymous with pain and even anger directed _at_ her. It didn't help that looking at her eyes he saw his own… and, therefore, his mother's…

It just… it forced him back to a place where all he could think about was the fact that he'd failed his mother. Failed her in every way possible and there was no way to fix it. Perhaps it was unfair but… he didn't want to talk to Nima and flare up if either of them said anything wrong.

He just wasn't ready yet. He knew that and it was honestly that simple as bad as it was.

God, why couldn't he be better at wrangling with his own emotions?

-:-:-:-

Night of day four of her father's silent treatment was rather miserable for Nima. As usual, she couldn't sleep so she got up and went to the deck to look out at the stars, hoping they might provide some kind of solace.

Tonight, her Uncle Momo was on night watch and, although she had half a mind just to sit and watch the horizon through the rails, she climbed up to the crow's nest to join him, smiling at him when he smiled at her.

"Hey, Nima," he said cheerfully enough for the middle of the night and patted a spot on the railing next to her.

"Hi, Uncle Momo," she said weakly, coming up beside him. "How's it going up here?"

"Oh, eventful," he chuckled. "As always. You know how it is."

She smiled weakly again, but it quickly fell, too tired and too wrecked to smile for too long. He was watching her and she could feel it, so, she leaned into his arm. The comfort was nice, but she made a mistake and dared to pretend it was her father being her pillar to lean on. Uncle Momo didn't have quite the same solidness and his warmth was different from her father's too, but she'd still pretended just for the sake of the moment.

She began to cry.

Immediately, her uncle wrapped an arm around her, shushing her.

"Hey," he began, soothing. "It's okay. It'll be alright. You'll see."

Nima shook her head, sniffling through her words. "No, it's not…"

"Neems, your dad is just upset… he's always been a bit complicated. It'll pass. I promise."

Nima nestled herself into the crook of his arm, hunching her shoulders and letting him envelop her into a full hug as she cried and cried and cried. This was too much. How was it supposed to just pass?

"He doesn't like me anymore," she cried.

"Of course he does," said Uncle Momo, holding her tighter. "Nima, he loves you."

"I know he loves me," she said tearfully. "I think. I just don't think he _likes_ me anymore."

At that, he stopped talking and just held her, letting her cry as much as she wanted until she eventually pulled herself together. When she was done, his shirt had a big tear stain on it, but he didn't seem to care and shook his head at her when she tried to apologize.

"Nothing to be sorry about," he told her gently. "I get what you're feeling. I've been there."

Nima dried her eyes with the thin sleeves of her night dress, blinking away her tears as best she could. "Y-you have?"

He nodded.

"Many times," he told her. "And listen to me when I say this okay? It gets better. You can't blame yourself for everything."

"But it was my fault," she sniffed. "If I hadn't gone pushing we wouldn't have started yelling…"

Momo shrugged. "Maybe. But you're a person."

She blinked up at him.

He was still trying to help her, right?

Apparently seeing the confusion on her face, he half-smiled at her and patted her on the head. "Just trust me," he told her quietly. "One day it'll sink in, but just try to remember that it's not healthy to hang onto all of that."

She didn't quite understand what her uncle was trying to get at, but she appreciated it either way. He knew a thing or two, she heard, about being the screwup of the crew. Of course, she had managed to bring even him terrible luck.

She eyed the scar on his neck, pink healed over skin stretching from side to side. It was very noticeable and, that day when she'd gotten him dragged into a fight with more men than he could handle, he was very lucky he didn't lose his life.

"I'm sorry about that," she said not for the first time.

He knew exactly what she was referring to. "No, don't do that. Don't do that. It's okay, I swear it's okay. I'm a pirate. I know the risks. Don't do that to yourself. I can live with this. I'm okay with this." He put an arm around her again and she leaned in again.

They didn't say anything about the subject after that and just let the night ride out until Nima was ready to go try sleeping in her bed again.

-:-:-:-

"Boss, what are you going to do about Captain Kai's daughter?"

Dan watched Captain Quil raise his eyebrows slightly at a man sitting across the table from him, maps and documents spread in front of a group of men - the Captain's inner circle. A red x was marked where Shukhekou was plotted on an old map and another on Yuanjiatan.

"What about her?" he asked calmly, but his eyes were clearly telling the man this had better be good for him to speak out of turn.

"Well, if I may," began the man nervously, big and burly as he was. "She's supposed to be a beauty. A fine dancer there ever was from what I've heard. The Wave Dancer they call her, Pearl on the High Seas… she'd fetch a _nice_ price."

The men around the captain nodded and Dan strangled down the urge to lurch from the table, keeping his face stony and uninterested.

A man beside the burly pirate nodded in dramatic agreement. "The Wind on the Waves I've heard. It's said she moves like the very gales traveling across the tides themselves. Like an enchantress with no magic. They say she'll bewitch you with just a stare and a step. That she moves like a falling leaf in autumn," The man grinned. "Heard she has hips like a perfectly carved steering wheel too. I dare say I'd like a piece of that."

Dan couldn't have rolled his eyes any harder though he kept it to himself. None of these men, he hoped, would ever write a book. Why was he working with these people? He didn't exactly care for slavery or their traders and Captain Teng may have threatened to cut him from nose to navel, but he was pretty sure he'd much rather brave his boss's threats. Not that Dan was particularly _worried_ in perfect honesty - he and Captain Teng had half a foot different between them, Dan being the taller one - but the threat of unemployment was always one that made him wary. The last thing he needed was to be marooned on some uninhabited desert island.

"I will deal with her," said Captain Quil, going back to his maps. "She and I have unfinished business. You all know what means, don't you?"

The pirates all shared looks and even Dan cut his eyes between them, the tenseness in their breathes making him ready to reach for his knife. After this, he was going to see if he could get a bath. Anywhere. Captain Quil had that effect on him whenever he talked about, well, anything.

"It means," he began, pulling a forward a few more papers from underneath the maps. Some were wanted posters, some illustrations and some sketches. He brought forward one particular illustration for them all to see. It was of a girl with playful smoldering green eyes and a cat-like smile. The artist had captured her skirts in the middle of a twirl, a tambourine in her hand. The Captain grinned and Dan had the urge to lean away. "Why, it means that she's mine. Should any of you touch her before I do, I'll slice you open on the spot."

A man on Quil's right, cleared his throat weakly and raised a finger.

"Boss, now, I don't mean to interject," said Jangi, Captain Quil's first mate. He was a skinny thing, a real snake-like creature and Dan sometimes even imagined that he hissed a little when he talked. This one Dan had the urge to just snap clean in half the way he slinked all over the place in a way that just screamed something disgusting. "And I'm sure you've got a plan, but her Dad's the Pirate Lord of the Amaterasu Sea too. Wouldn't be so much to ask if you would share your plan with us would it? I'm sure it's a good one."

Dan really did roll his eyes this time. A kiss-ass too while the guy was at it.

"It's simple." Quil didn't miss a beat. "The boy's reckless when it comes to the _people he loves_. When they dock, one of those children or their mother is eventually going to wander off all by themselves. The daughter, however, wanders off the most. Her parents make the delightful mistake of letting her out all on her own for her little dancing shows. Get the girl, get the boy. Understand?"

"You mean, use the girl as bait?"

"No." Quil grinned slowly. "I mean that I'm going to hang her up to dry once I'm done with her and the father will come running like the mutt he is. I wouldn't quite call it a game of bait. I'd call it a hunt."

-:-:-:-

 _The Waterbender_ docked on a jungle island somewhere in the middle of the Amaterasu Sea. They needed to rest, gather herbs and supplies, but Nima didn't care about any of that. She should have, but it was hard to care when after five days, her father _still_ wasn't talking to her.

This morning he'd seemed close to coming around and had even looked her way when she called him, but then quickly turned away after a moment. It actually made her whimper in a miserable fashion.

She was never going to get him to look at her again, was she?

At least not with the love and affection that he used to hold in them for her. It made her bitter and a little angry, but mostly just… sad. And there really wasn't any other way to describe it. A deep ache hollowed her inside as she resigned to the idea. He'd never been this upset with her and, even if he found it in himself to forgive her, he would never see her the same.

She's ruined that and she'd probably thoroughly ruined her relationship with her father.

Tears sprang to her eyes when he looked away. God, she was tired of crying, but she couldn't help it.

No, she thought as the tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

She tried to wipe them away, tried to stop them from falling and tried to keep herself from sniffling too hard. Mop in her hand, she tried to fight it.

She was supposed to be mopping the deck! Not snivelling like this. After all, this is what she deserved for upsetting him so much.

But the tears wouldn't stop falling and she couldn't seem to control the way her throat closed up or how the heat behind her cheeks swelled. She dropped the mop and held her face.

Stop, stop, _stop._

She closed her eyes.

They couldn't see her like this. She should just take her punishment without-

"Hey, uh, Nima?" That was her Uncle Ryu who was supposed to be watching her mop the deck.

She twisted around to face him out of instinct and he frowned when he saw her.

"Er," he began awkwardly, his eyes a little wide as he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you just stop? I can-"

And she bolted. She heard him call out for her, but she kept running and threw herself over the side of the ship, grabbing hold of the rope net on the side so she could climb down.

When her feet hit water and sand, she twisted on her heel and marched away from the ship.

-:-:-:-

Jinora shared looks with her husband, both of them looking on from the quarterdeck at the sound of the commotion. They descended down to the main deck to meet an unusually concerned Ryu scratching his head and looking over the side of the ship.

"Ryu, what's going on down here?" asked Kai.

"Nima," he said, his bored tone of voice wavering slightly. Jinora immediately closed her eyes. Oh, no. "She just… ran off."

"Ran off?" asked Jinora tiredly. "Do you know why?"

Ryu only kind of glanced at Kai, stiffening. "Well… she _was_ crying. I was just going to tell her that she could stop if something was wrong…"

"It's okay, Ryu," said Jinora. "If you could finish mopping the deck that'd be great."

Ryu nodded, clearly eager to get away from his captain as he picked up the mop and went to the other side of the deck.

"Don't-"

"I will and I don't care if you don't like it," said Jinora a little more harshly than she meant to. "I'm tired of this. I'm _done_ with this. You know I will always support you any way I can, but this is done. Today. You two _have_ to talk about it and I will make it so no matter how much you may hate me afterwards."

Kai shot her a look, but his shoulders slacked and so did his face. He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah… yeah, fine," he said, half-scowling, at himself or at her, Jinora didn't know. "I'll send someone after her. In fact, I'll go look for her-"

"No, " said Jinora, crossing her arms when he frowned at her, bewildered. "Leave her alone right now. Let her cry it out a little."

Kai didn't say anything else afterwards and Jinora didn't want to keep going on either. She knew that he knew he was wrong and she could only hope that them working it out would make both of them feel better.

"You know I hate being like that," she said quietly, daring to speak anyway. "But she's your daughter. Our baby. Don't make her feel like you hate her…"

"You know I could never hate her," he said, just as exhausted as her. "Not in a million years."

"I know that, but… don't convince _her_ otherwise. You know how Nima can get."

He went silent for a moment, going back up to the quarterdeck with her and running a hand through his messy hair.

"I'll fix this." He said, looking at her with softer eyes finally. "I promise I will. As soon as she gets back, I'll fix this."

-:-:-:-

Her tears wouldn't stop running even as she'd gotten far enough away from the ship that she couldn't see it anymore. She'd come half around the island by now, the sun falling from it's position high above.

Noon, Nima noted. Well, past noon.

Still, she kept going, not quite ready to go back to the ship. It was the hardest thing to realize that her relationship with her father was probably never going to be the same. Perhaps she was wrong, but she couldn't find it in herself to believe that she was. What if she hoped he would let up only to be disappointed?

She was afraid to think that this would turn out the way she hoped.

Maybe she could talk to Grandpa Yung. Between him and her mother, perhaps her father would at the very least try to understand what she'd been trying to achieve in the first place. If he understood that then maybe they could bury this hatchet. After all, her father wasn't cold hearted. He was just-

 _Thap_

Nima's head snapped up at the unmistakable sound she knew she heard. Upset she may be, but her hearing was just fine. Her hand flew to her dagger strapped to her waist and she peered into the brush of the jungle. Carefully, she stepped back where she came from, not caring to find out what had made that noise. From the way it sounded, someone or something stepped on a wet twig.

Grip clamped down on the hilt of her dagger, Nima kept going with every intention to make it back to the ship. A chill was rattling her bones. Something wasn't right.

She kept one eye on the tangled green of the jungle-

A shadow moved. There. She slid her dagger out of it's sheath. Something was there. As it got closer, she dared not freeze. _Someone_ was there. It was a man, then two, then three slipping out from the shade of the jungle. They looked straight at her and Nima knew that look: the look of prey who'd found their dinner all alone.

Damn, she needed to start carrying a pistol.

She ran. The dagger was gripped in a way so that she could drive it down into a man's neck, the blade pointing toward the ground. Maybe it wasn't smart with how fast she was running over compact sand lest she trip, but she damned it all to hell as her heels kicked up the dust.

She just needed to _get away_.

Something about those men were familiar. It was their build and the way they were all big and broad and muscled-

Fear trickled down her spine as memories crawled their way to the forefront of her brain and she ran even faster and just hoped to any and all gods that she was wrong, wrong, _wrong._

Her feet were quick and she could already hear their guttural voices falling into the distance. Okay, now, if she could just keep this pace and get back to the ship. Even just within _earshot_ so she could scream for help. Just close enough so someone could maybe see her and hel-

Two more men shot out from the brusheries, nearly causing her to slip under herself. They tossed something at her and the next thing she knew she was on the ground, yanked down when they grabbed hold to ensure their prey was nice and captured. Immediately, she began to cut at the net desperatly, but it refused to tear-

God, was it knife proof or what?

"Don't try to cut out of that, girly." One of the men braced himself on his knees, grinning at her through rotten teeth. "Special net that Captain had acquired all the way from Qiangdao Bay. Made specially so pretty little things like you won't slip through the cracks."

The net was hoisted, and her with it, screaming as loud as she could, hoping, _praying,_ with all her might that _someone_ would hear her.

-:-:-:-

Quil faced Nima as she scrambled to her feet after being released from the net. She dared not move - smart girl - on the deck of his ship, flag of a red crescent moon and sword against black flying high, surrounded by men much taller and much stronger than she was. Smart girl indeed. She knew that she was in his territory.

The first thing he noticed was her father's green eyes, the same green eyes he remembered seeing four years ago. She'd filled out very nicely since then. Indeed, _very_ nicely and when he got down to her level, circling her, his gait smooth and strong as she clearly shivered despite her look of defiance, he estimated her selling price could make him a _fortune_. The beautiful dancing phenomenon who was the granddaughter of a Governor _and_ daughter a fellow Pirate Lord with more than his fair share of enemies? Oh, she could make him a hefty sum of cash over and over again.

But what he had in mind was worth far more than money to him.

"My, my." He eyed her, bringing a hand up to caress her cheek. She jerked away from him, cursing, and he gripped her harder his time, his thumb pressing down on her bottom lip. "How you've grown."

"Don't _touch_ me, you asshat," she spat at him, but he only smiled. "When my family realizes I'm missing-"

"They won't. They won't have time to that is." He cut her off and before she could open her mouth again, he continued. "Oh, believe me, there are many things that I'd like to do to you, but I don't have time for that."

Quil could see her face falter and it gave him a twinge of pleasure. He grinned.

"Don't worry. As I said, I don't have time to put you through my ring. I need to finish this before they _do_ realize that you're missing and scatter themselves to find their runaway pup. I'll make this quick. Quick enough, that is. Come to think of it, you had perfect timing. You're going to make a fine trophy to show your father," he said, reaching for his sword.

"No!" she yelped, realizing his intentions a second too late and raised her dagger still in hand, but he effortlessly parried it and brought his blade back around, running it through her. He ripped it out, satisfaction drumming through him from the feel of his sword in her flesh and the melody of her strangled scream on his ears. As blood ran from her body, he could only watch with anticipated triumph streaming into his veins.

Her father - that self righteous moron, that liberation obsessed, reckless, idiot of a boy was going to regret ever even thinking of going against him.

* * *

My goodness, it is almost 4 am where I'm posting this. Well, the scene from chapter 2 comes full circle and Captain Quil of the Blood Moon Pirates definitely has plans for Kai. I don't want to say much and get spoilery, but look out for next chapter! It's going to be a doozy!

As always, guys I really love it when you leave those reviews! This fic is probably one of my longest at such an early point in the story, but it hasn't gotten much feedback so I'd appreciate any and all reviews you leave! They really keep me going and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	5. A Dead Weight

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **A Dead Weight  
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* * *

"Captain? That ship's been out there an awfully long time."

"I know."

Kai glanced over his shoulder at the flagless ship that had anchored in the open sea a little ways from them. He frowned. It had arrived not too long after they'd dropped anchor and he didn't like the way they just hovered there. No, not one bit.

Something told him that it was very much time to leave. His instincts had kept him alive for this long and he wasn't about to stop listening to them now.

He looked at Pabu, who had spoken to him, and nodded his head in the direction of the beach.

"Come with me," he said. "We need to go find Nima. We'll take Appa with us too."

Pabu nodded, following his captain as they descended the stairs to the main deck. "You're getting a funny feeling, too?"

"Nothing funny about it. Just bad. Something's wrong," said Kai, glancing at the ship in the distance. "Like they're waiting for us. I've been hearing our name dropped a lot in the streets whenever we port. Just whispers in bars, but…"

It was enough to set him on edge. Something was very wrong and he'd been awake long into the night, sometimes with Yung, trying to figure out what. He kept an eye on his most frequented enemies who were moving in these parts. Just in case. The Anti-Piracy Agency wasn't exactly a worry to him so why did he suddenly hear and see a pattern of two of their ships wherever they went?

They were following something and Kai had a hunch that something was themselves.

Yes, they had to leave now.

"We can stop in a Fire Nation port for supplies," he began. "I don't care if we have to pay a little extra-"

"...Dad?"

There was a thump as Rama dropped a coiled bunch of rope and Kai turned, somehow hearing the fear in his son's tone rather than his actual voice. Taani stood behind her brother too, the twins shoulder to shoulder and Kai knew his little girl. Something had her frozen even if it couldn't be spelled out on her face.

He crossed the deck with Pabu and several other members of the crew, including Jinora. His eyes went wide.

What in the…?

Captain Quil of the Blood Moon Pirates stood on the shore of the beach, a group of men that seemed to be most of his crew and a wide grin Kai could see even from where he was standing. What the _hell_ was he doing here? This was a bit far out from the Tie Sanjiao sea for him, wasn't it? Just ever so slightly too far out? Farther than one might think he'd venture out during this time of the year when Fall was coming and the harvesting season for piracy was coming in...

The Iron Triangle was where most of his business deals were made so why be way out here in the Amaterasu Sea?

Kai swallowed hard.

Pirates, as a rule, never engaged unless they had the upper hand. Quil wasn't much different.

In fact, the captain looked like he had already won something. The man, as far as Kai knew, didn't grin like that unless he had something grin _about_. And, whatever it was, must have been good if he was that happy about it-

Kai's blood went cold.

His eyes searched frantically among their group and his heart stilled when they parted, giving him a clear sight of a smaller figure being dragged by her elbows. He heard Jinora gasp and felt Pabu's breath cease beside him.

It _had_ been a trap.

Kai could only see the back of Nima's head, slumped, the lower half of her body being dragged through sand completely limp.

She must have been unconscious.

The conditions were clear and Kai knew what he wanted.

Nima was bait. Should he not comply then he would run her right through…

Kai cursed, squaring his shoulders as his breath became shallow. _Nima…_ she'd practically ran right into Quil's claws all because of something Kai _himself did_. Or rather, something he couldn't do. Failed to do. She would have been just fine if-

He closed his eyes for a moment, bringing himself back to reality. Not now. Right now he had to keep his head clear.

"Men," Kai gritted through his teeth. "Lower the rowboats. Rama, Taani. Get below deck right now."

-:-:-:-

Kai took just about his entire crew down onto the shore except for Momo and Lefty, both of whom would stay with Rama and Taani below deck in the secure hull they'd built years ago after the twins were born.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, boy? It's only my luck that I ran into you and your lovely daughter here."

Quil's grin made Kai want to pull out all the older man's teeth. He hated that grin with with a fiery passion.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked, glancing between Quil's face and the back of Nima's head. Kai gripped his sword at his side with white knuckles clamped around it. If he'd hurt her… "Let her go and you'll have it."

Quil raised his eyebrows, his grin smoothing out to a small, amused smile.

"And throw away my leverage? I think not. Let's cut to the chase, boy. I don't have all day. You lot drop your weapons and I'll throw her back to you. It's that simple."

"Throw down our weapons?" Kai snorted, eyeing Quil suspiciously. "That's it?"

Quil laughed a little and Kai rolled his eyes. God, he was enjoying this. It made Kai sick. He seemed to just be having the greatest time right now, holding Nima over Kai the way he'd always wanted to. It was one of his more pronounced infallible weakness the whole world knew he had: his children. Quil's particular interest in Nima had always concerned him even if the man never went _too_ out of his way to get a hold of her - thank all the gods - but it always put Kai on his toes.

"I won't have you throwing them down next to you now," mused Quil. "Throw them aside. Into a pile."

Kai sneered. "Not happening."

Quil shook his head, chuckling. "I know you're not quite that stupid, boy." He turned so he was facing Nima's limp body, grabbing her by the hair and taking a sword to her neck where Kai couldn't see. Kai immediately slacked. "Throw them down - all of them - or I'll take her head and give that to you instead. Of course, it's your choice. We could just have a good fight on this beach and you can take your girl's head home. I'm fine with that too."

"Captain…" Yung said, almost warningly.

"We don't have a choice," growled Kai and he threw his sword between himself and Quil. He glanced back at his own crew. "Come on."

Yung swallowed. "But Kai, something's not right… wait a second and-"

"Yung, just do it," said Kai firmly. This wasn't exactly a negotiation. "All of you."

With great hesitation, they each threw their weapons onto the ground between them though Quil looked hard at Jinora and, scowling, she dug a knife out from her shirt and threw it in the pile. The pile was cast on with a net and dragged away.

"There," snapped Kai, but he eased his voice into a suppressed calm, not wanting to give the man anymore reasons to hurt his daughter. "Now, let her go. And you can have what you want. If that's a fight then we can do that too. You and me. Just let _her_ go."

"As you wish."

The smile grew on Quil's face, almost seeming a little cheery in a mad sort of way that made Kai's hair stand on end. Quil jerked his head forward and his men followed the silent command, dragging Nima forward, her legs running through the sand lifelessly.

"Oh, my apologies." Quil's grin turned into a devil-like smirk. "I did forget to mention something..."

The men threw Nima into the large space between Quil and Kai. She landed on her back.

Kai's eyes went wide, but it was Jinora who screamed first, the muffling from her hands he barely noted as the world stopped. Nima lay between them, her mouth smeared with blood that'd been wiped away. Her skirts, formerly a brown and gold, were now a bright maroon dyed almost completely in the front, running toward the back, but never quite reaching. The blood had crawled up from where she seemed to have been stabbed in the gut, and Kai could see her chest unmoving. He vaguely realized that's why they'd held her body so low. So he wouldn't see the wound from where the sword had probably come out of her back.

He was ready to just _throw up_ and nearly did if his eyes hadn't landed on her face again. Her eyes were wide. Wide and her brown skin pale from the blood loss. Her eyes were shot open in horror _,_ the green color of her irises glossed over in their terrified state.

Kai got on his knees slowly, bringing the crown of her head atop of them. Nothing else on this earth mattered as he caressed her cold, soft face. From here, he could see the tear stains that had gone down her cheeks as well as into her hair. He stopped breathing, silently praying that sacrificing some of his would give her back her own.

Jinora got on her knees next to him and, normally the brave and calm woman he knew, she was sobbing, shaking her head. She couldn't believe it. _Wouldn't_ believe it. He saw the words 'my baby' drop noiselessly from her lips. Bending over, she caressed the top of their daughter's head and Kai realized the ends of Nima's hair were caked together with blood.

"Yes... it slipped my mind that I had _already_ ran her through."

That voice.

That voice made something light up in him like boiled over lava as he slowly stood up, his face feeling twisted with a rage he had _never_ known. He could hear voices, but nothing else was present aside from the sheer wrath he felt at that face and that voice, all belonging to that son of a harlot who thought himself a man. Kai wanted to rip his insides out and let him bleed out the way he made his daughter bleed out. Pangs of guilt sprinkled across all that anger.

She wouldn't have been out there if not-

God, what had he _done?_

" _You son OF A-_ " Kai launched himself at Quil, the man laughing in his face. He would have stabbed the man's eyes out with his own fingers had it not been for Yung who grabbed him and Appa and Skoochy and Longshot and even Ryu all holding him back as white hot fury raced through his veins. He felt like he could kill ten men and if it was possible he would kill this man ten times and each time would be more horrible than the last. " _I'LL KILL YOU! FUCK, LET ME GO! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU FILTHY BASTARD! I'LL PUT YOUR HEAD ON A_ _ **SPIKE!**_ "

Red clouded his vision and every muscle in his body twitched to rip Quil apart. If not, then throw himself off a cliff because his daughter _was dead_. No amount of well-wishing or hoping was going to change that because her body was laying at his feet and she was just _dead and unalive and deceased and_ -

How long had she been like that? How long ago was it that she was just alive? She wouldn't have even been out there had she not been so upset about…

Now... she was gone.

Gone...

The memory of the last few days and how he'd treated her danced like needles in his skin, reminding him of the way he couldn't even let her say she was sorry, not letting her explain herself… he was just _so_ wrapped up in his _own_ pain that he wouldn't give her the time of day. Tears threatened to prick at his eyes, but he _refused_ to cry in front of the man who'd taken Nima's life so viciously.

Still, the thought plagued him even through his need to kill Quil. The thought that, now, he wouldn't even get to say he was sorry. He wouldn't be able to tell her that he still loved her, that he wasn't mad at her and that it wasn't really her fault. That, after all these years, it was okay that she didn't know. What she said had hurt him, but _that was okay_. A painful throbbing resonated from his heart to his head.

 _She didn't know_.

 _They could have talked it out._

He could have hugged her one last time, kissed her on the forehead and stroked her soft, brown hair. Hell, she would still probably be here if _he just hadn't-_

Twice the hatred made Kai yank at the hands holding him back, but they held tight despite the strain.

" _Kai, that's enough. Stop- you can't fight them all on your own and none of us have weapons-_ " Yung half-growled, half-choked out, struggling to hang onto him as Kai fought with all his might.

"LET GO! _LET ME KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM WITH MY BARE HANDS!_ _ **JUST LET ME-**_ "

Skoochy wrapped a whole arm around him and pulled him back with the help of Appa's strength. "You're going to get yourself killed! Just stop and think for a second- think! Stop looking at her and think about your other kids, _okay?_ _Do you want this to happen to them too?_ "

Kai still fought - albeit weakly now - but Rama and Taani's faces flashed through his mind, both of whom were only eleven and he-

He took a deep, restless breath and let his limbs go limp, swearing smoke was practically coming off his skin the way he felt inside. His eyes never left Quil's and he had half a mind to try and reach right over there again.

"I could kill you right now," said Quil, grinning from ear to ear. "All of you and especially _you_ , boy, but I won't. That's far too easy. Now that I've warmed up with your daughter-"

Kai's muscles visibly twitched.

"-I think I'm sated. For the moment. You and I are going to be spending more time with each other before I decide to kill you." He half glanced at his own crew behind him. "Take them."

-:-:-:-

"Uncle Momo? Do you know how long we'll have to stay down here?" asked Rama, frowning at the door. He had his knife out, like his father always made sure they knew to have when in these situations, and his fingers crawled onto the handle of a pistol he found lying in a crate.

His uncle sighed, smiling at him despite the layer of worry Rama could see furrowing his brows. "I don't know honestly. Until it's safe is the best bet to say, but don't worry. You know that nobody's getting through this hull unless they get through your parents and uncles first."

Nodding, Rama glanced at Taani beside him. She wasn't looking at anyone - though that wasn't was much different than usual - and just played with the knife in her hand to keep busy, but he knew she was just nervous the way she sat close to their Uncle Lefty. Unless you knew her well, however, you would never know. As it was, her face never moved, remaining in a blank expression at all times, day or night. Of course, she had always been different and, while somebody might chastise him for saying so, it wasn't a secret between them. She knew she was different as did he and, frankly, Rama didn't see anything wrong with that. Perhaps it was further reinforced by the fact it just didn't hinder his understanding of her.

That all being said, he didn't see blank when he saw Taani right now. He saw the way she kept her hands busy when, normally, she was actually a very still person. He saw her close proximity to their uncle as a need to be comforted because, in reality, his sister was a gentle soul and a knife in her hand didn't suit her even if she knew how to use it fairly well. He also knew she saw Nima being trudged along the shore like he did and, if they were anything alike, she was very nervous about it.

"...do you think Nima's okay?" he asked, looking up at his Uncle Lefty now.

Uncle Lefty flashed a smile, his sword firmly in his hand and by his side. "I'm sure she is. Quil's using her as bait, that much is obvious, but you're parents are smart people. It'll be okay."

Rama had never met Captain Quil before, but Nima had. He remembered that festival well enough. He was seven and his mother had taken him and Taani to the petting zoo. Nima, on the other hand, had disappeared into the crowd without them after an impromptu dance performance. Somewhere in all that mess, the captain and his older sister had met. They'd met again a couple months later as well, only that meeting had ended with his father drawing blood. A lot of it.

He tried not to shudder too hard.

It was a massive understatement to say that nothing good ever came of running into Captain Quil and for all of the comments Rama made about hoping Nima got lost one of these days... he never _meant_ it. It was just fun for the sake of teasing and easy to get under her skin…

He wished he had a book right now. Any book. Anything not to think about what might be going on outside and all the possible worst case scenarios that might come of it.

"I always told her to get lost," he said aloud finally, taking his ponytail over his shoulder just to give his fingers something to play with.

His Uncle Momo came into view, kneeling down in front of where Rama was sitting on a big crate. He shook his head. "And you never meant one word. She _knows_ that. Don't start thinking like that. Siblings say mean things all the time and _worse_. She's said a lot of things to you too. Like, she's called you a sea urchin before, hasn't she? You don't really think she sees you like that, do you?"

Rama shook his head.

"And that time when you nicked her big jewelry box from her room and hid it because you guys were mad at each other and she told you to drop dead? You really thinks she wants you to drop dead?"

Again, Rama shook his head. It wasn't uncommon for things to get a little heated between the two of them, honestly. Even then, he was pretty sure that neither of them wanted the other to drop dead.

"Okay, then. Don't get it in your head for a second that she really thinks badly of you. And when you see her again, you can ask her, okay?"

After seeing her limp like that in the arms of those men, Rama was more concerned that _she_ knew he never meant what he said.

After all, he'd just been teasing.

-:-:-:-

Night fell and Jinora's throat was nearly closed up from how hard she'd choked, trying not to cry and cry and cry over her daughter's dead body. Her hands were shackled to her ankles, drawing her knees up to her chest and her body wracked with cold and suppressed sobs. They'd been restrained, Appa and Imaru being actually tied to trees so they might not use their size against their enemy while the rest of them were shackled in the same way Jinora was.

She kept glancing over at Kai and even said his name a few times, but he wouldn't look. His eyes were glazed over and she knew he was too far in his own mind to hear her or, if he did, he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

Honestly, Jinora couldn't blame him.

She stomped down the urge to be angry with him too. The urge to be mad at him for letting the ordeal with Nima go on so long, but she knew it would not only be cruel, but useless. Perhaps, even, chiefly angry with herself. Despite the pain that raked at her insides whenever her eyes happened to glance over at Nima's body left right where Quil's men had thrown it, she couldn't bring herself to be angry with Kai.

She knew that being mad at Kai was cruel and useless. Nobody hated Kai more than himself in this moment. Not even Quil.

She had to remind herself that he didn't mean it either and it made her heart hurt. He didn't _choose_ to let Nima's words pain him the way it did. It didn't make him ignoring her okay, but Jinora also knew he didn't exactly do it consciously. Kai had always had a hard time with his emotions and his ignoring her wasn't because he suddenly hated her… if anything, it was because he didn't want to make it worse.

And what about herself? Why hadn't she forced them to talk sooner? _Why_ had she told Kai _not_ to go and find her? She should have _known_ that it would be dangerous! What kind of mother was she…?

She just wished with all her heart.. all her _soul_ that they'd talked about it sooner… and now..

Now, she was never going to catch Nima trying to sneak a treat from the kitchen. She was never going to hold her or brush her hair when it was a little messy on a windy day. She would never again hold her hand or see her twirl around in a happy dance. She was never going to see her baby dance at all… the one thing she loved more than a dessert after dinner…

She was never going to see her _alive and breathing_.

This wasn't how this was supposed to _be_. God help them, parents were _not_ supposed to outlive their children...

Just… _nothing_ was crueler than this. She wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy and Jinora almost physically lurched at the thought of burying her little girl. Then, she slowly realized she might not even be allowed to do that and bit her lip, trying to banish the idea of Nima's body deteriorating here all alone without a proper burial, something she could completely see that bastard Quil doing.

Jinora glanced back over at her daughter's body and her throat constricted with the effort not to cry out loud. Tears leaked from her eyes, stinging the delicate skin over her cheeks she'd cried so much today.

She just let the tears fall. Not seeing what else to do, Jinora buried her face in her knees and let herself cry one more time.

-:-:-:-

"He _didn't_." Captain Teng growled. "He _did_ , that bastard. Pirates. Can't trust any of them. The lot of them. That bastard did it, damn him."

Dan frowned slightly.

"What is it?" he asked, scanning the approaching shore. He could see a campfire where several bodies stood- the biggest figure was probably Captain Quil. Not too far away were probably the crew of _The Waterbender_.

Dan found himself looking on rather dispassionately. This wasn't the kind of deals he exactly signed up to doing when he inked in his signature to Captain Teng. Helping him hunt pirates was one thing. He could learn to live with that. But selling them was another. Pirates were criminals, but hardly ever by choice. Most of the time they were born into it or to escape some other miserable shit hole. Why else would hordes of them dedicate their lives to the plunders on the seas? It was hardly a cushy life. However, Dan found that most pirate hunters didn't understand that. Criminals were criminals and all deserved to be hanged apparently.

Whatever. He just really wanted to get this over with.

He was starting to get itchy and, quite frankly, doubted it had anything to do with salt in the air.

They got closer and it was then that he saw it before Captain Teng answered him. In the middle of the sand he could see somebody lying there.

Motionless.

"He killed the girl. _Goddamn_ him. What are we supposed to do now?"

But he didn't have to say anything anymore because Dan realized it seconds before as it was. There was a dead girl lying on the shore and now he _really_ wanted to get this over with. In silence, they pushed the rowboat into the sand and passed over their newfound prisoners.

Dan's eyes widened for a moment when he saw the girl. Her eyes would be pretty if they weren't clearly glossed over from being dead for a few hours and the sensation of looking at them disturbed him. Blood stained her skirts and dressed the skin around her lips. She was helpless when she died, he realized.

He forced himself to look away and instead silently scanned the prisoners.

The man looking lost with green eyes was a dead ringer for her father. Captain Kai didn't say anything. He didn't look at anyone. Hell , he even looked dead himself. The woman next to him glanced up at him with red-rimmed eyes that Dan could see even in the lack of light. Or perhaps he'd just been expecting them.

Sitting nearby, a pudgy man was shackled, hands behind his back and he glared up at them, but he too, Dan realized, had been crying. Then, there was another man, skinnier and with lengthy dark hair; he must have been the slave that Dan mentioned to Captain Quil. The man's hands and feet were tied _and_ shackled to a close pair of trees, each side tied to an opposite end. Meeting his eyes, Dan saw nothing but a need to murder. He looked over at the biggest men tied to trees and saw the same thing.

Whatever the girl had meant to them, it was clear that there was vengeance on their minds. He glanced back at her one more time. She didn't look a day over seventeen at most. Certainly no older than his nineteen years. In fact, everybody here looked old enough to _at least_ be her father. Perhaps to this crew she hadn't just been the captain's daughter.

"The fruits of your labor." Dan looked up as Captain Quil joined them while Captain Teng was seemingly trying to suppress an obvious glare beneath his dark eyes. Captain Quil ignored him. "Enjoy it."

The captain lightly clapped Dan on the shoulder and he looked back at their prisoners. Captain Kai had glanced up at him, but it was clear that his attention was on Quil, a deep need to kill something behind somber green eyes. It seemed that only Captain Quil gave him any life at the moment and, even then, it was just a seemingly instinctual need to murder. Captain Quil walked forward slowly, bending over slightly so he was looking right down at his shackled prisoner with a wicked grin.

"My, my, boy. I hope you're comfortable," said Quil. "Because you won't be for long. I wouldn't distress about your daughter so much. You'll be joining her soon enough. It's only a real shame that I never had a chance to finish what I started with her all those years ago. She's certainly grown. A fit beauty. Or, I suppose, she _was_ a beauty. What her skin must have felt like and I'm fairly certain she had a fine pair of legs from all that dancing she does. I'm sorry, _used_ to do-"

Dan watched as Captain Kai snarled and strained against his shackles. Quil looked at no other but Kai. This man with messy dark hair, brown skin and green eyes was his entire focus. Even in the wake of a dead girl just a few feet away from him, as he _talked_ about her, still her father was the thing he narrowed in on. While this had all been portrayed as a business deal, Dan was getting the bitter impression that Captain Quil just felt the need to stick it to the man. If they had their rivalry, why not just run the man through? Be done with it. He certainly wasn't expecting honor, but he also didn't see the need to play this cat and mouse game. To Dan, it just seemed like sadistic pleasure for the sake of it. If nothing else, have respect for the dead lest they come back and haunt you.

Then again, Captain Quil _was_ a slave trader. He played with people's lives for a living. Even the lives of those no longer living one apparently. It wasn't like those he'd slain were ever going to touch him again, Dan supposed.

Quil went on. "Then again, my memory is _terrible_.," He clicked his tongue, dark hair hanging over his shoulders. "It's very possible that I did experience all those things and I simply can't remember. Oh well, she must have been a very forgettable girl after all-"

" _When I get out of here I'm going to tear you in two,_ " said Captain Kai in a low, death wishing growl. " _I'll rip your insides out. Do you hear me?_ "

Quil looked at him for a moment. Then, he laughed and Dan felt his spine splinter. God, if he would just not _do that_ it'd be great. Laughter out of him, Dan found, made a thing just plain unnerving.

"Oh, I hear you. You and your yapping. But we'll see won't we?"

"Captain, I thought we had a deal," said Captain Teng beside Dan. He frowned deeply as Captain Quil turned around, seeming rather disinterested and more annoyed at the fact that his gloating had been interrupted. "What am I supposed to do with a dead girl? You _do_ realize you just gutted a fortune's worth, right?"

"You talk as if I'm not aware of my own actions," said Quil, conveniently leaving off Teng's official title. Teng bristled slightly. "I made it clear that I'd be having the final say on things here. You, on the other hand, aren't in the position to be making demands."

He was right, of course. Captain Teng hadn't exactly pleased the head of the A.P.A at all and going to Captain Quil was his deluded way of making his own. That, however, meant he needed money and apparently, from what Dan was getting from all this, the girl had been his ticket to all that money.

It was then that Dan actually couldn't help, but feel a little sick. More than a little. Corrupt as Captain Teng was, Dan hadn't exactly expected him to have made money off selling a girl. From the sounds of it, more than once…

But Dan kept his face straight and stiff as stone and wrestled down his personal issues with all of this. All of these people. Dead or alive.

He just wanted to move on from this grotesque scene.

"We had a _deal_ ," repeated Captain Teng with a growl coming through. "The girl is _dead_. There's not a single person on this entire ship that can even replace her! Do you have any idea how much that Sayanga man in Pie Shan Tien was willing to pay for her? Thousands of yuans! Enough to buy three ships! And you-"

"Did what I decided was necessary," said Captain Quil, bored.

"Did what was _necessary?_ She was a sixteen year old girl and you're as big as a rhinoceros bull! You have to be close to seven feet tall! What could she have _possibly_ done to-"

"Correction," Quil interrupted nonchalantly. "I did what was necessary _for me_. However, if it bothers you so much I can pay you for it."

Teng got quiet for just a moment. "..in what?"

"In the remaining days of your life," said Quil. He smiled, only this time his smile seemed a little less humored. "Now get out of my face."

" _We had a-_ "

"I heard you. We can iron out the details later."

Dan side glanced and he could see Captain Teng seething, nearly grinding his teeth so hard Dan thought he was going to break one of them. "And the other children? I know that there are three in total. What of them?"

"What of them?" Quil turned his back on them now. "They're mine."

"What exactly am I getting out of this, then?"

"The girl. As I promised," Dan could practically hear the grin on Quil's face turned away from them. "You will get the girl. But as I said, we'll iron out further details later."

And Captain Teng said nothing else, his face was nearly contorted from the effort not to probably go over and strangle Quil - a terrible idea seeing as Captain Quil had at least a foot on Captain Teng. Quil glanced over his shoulder. "If I'm feeling generous, I may just let you have one of those boy. Or the girl, I suppose, depending on who you're trying to appease. One of them should be worth well enough to get you along."

" _Don't you dare_." The woman with brown eyes shackled beside Captain Kai said fiercely. Dan knew her name - Jinora Gyatso, he involuntarily recalled - but he pushed it to some far away part of his mind. " _If you even think of laying a hand on them I swear-"_

"And _you_ will be sold to the highest bidder. I might even sell you as a package deal with one of your remaining children if you don't give me too much trouble." Quil bent over to look at her. "So, I _suggest_ you keep quiet down there."

Dan felt a twinge of something unpleasant when the woman, despite boring holes glaring at the man, quieted down. He faintly recalled that the younger two were a fair years younger than the girl who had died. If the rumors were true. Three kids, he had gathered from bars all over The Gold Coast of the Earth Kingdom. Three kids. One girl, the dancer. Two others. A boy and a girl of the same age.

"Now then," Quil turned back around to face Teng as he ignored Captain Kai barking obscenities at him. "You have one last thing to do."

"And what's that?" hissed Teng.

Quil gestured to the girl's body. "Get rid of it. Sell it. Cook it in something. I don't care. I just don't want it here."

Seeing the end of his rope, Teng only nodded stiffly. "I'll throw it in the ocean. She's no use to me now. However, if we can negotiate for one of those twins…" The hopeful tone in his voice almost made Dan's lip curl.

"We shall discuss it. Now, get rid of her."

"No!" If the girl's mother hadn't been shackled she might have actually jumped to her feet. "At least- at least let us bury her… even if it's just here."

Dan glanced at Captain Kai, but he only stared at his daughter's body in a pained kind of wistfulness, his eyes and mind distant from everything that was going on. But then, he ground his teeth. "You _can't_."

Captain Quil laughed a little, and now grinned right at the girl's father. "I can and you know that _I will_. This is what happens when you show all the wrong people such disrespect, boy. If you thought you were going to disrespect me and get away with it forever… why, you were very much wrong about that. But I think you know that by now. And if you don't, then I'm sure you will by the time my sword goes through you the same way it went through that precious girl of yours. Now, sit there and wait to die."

And with that, Captain Quil walked away without looking at any of them, returning to the fire where his men were drinking beer and getting warm.

Dan watched as Captain Kai's eyes slipped back into that distant look of his. He closed his eyes, jaw clenched and almost seemed to be praying, but Dan wasn't sure what he was doing. It was like a prayer stance and a meditation of rage all at the same time. When he opened his eyes, he just looked over at his daughter's body again and his shoulder's slacked. As if all the fight had gone out of him at the sight of her like that, mesmerized by his own grief and the thought of her pain in her final moments...

"You, Danuma," grunted Captain Teng as a two men were walking over to drag the body away. "Go and help them dispose of that."

Dan didn't so much as raise his eyebrows, stilling his features like marble.

"I'm your bounty hunter. Not your lackey," he said coldly. "Do it yourself."

And he walked away to the fire.

-:-:-:-

Kai could do _nothing_ but watch as his first born, his _baby girl_ , was taken onto that man's rowboat. The man with the dark green eyes and a fairly groomed beard that Kai was going to remember. That man who was going to sell his daughter and only lamented that she was dead because that meant so was his profit. If he ever got out of this, that man was on a deadly list of people who were going to eat their own blood.

A list that included everybody on this beach that wasn't a crew member of _The Waterbender_.

He slipped in and out of it, unable to hear Jinora nor face her. His thoughts drifted, haunted him, at what Nima had endured. What had happened when she died? She was _alone_ when she died and probably scared and, God, Kai knew Quil's track record. Kai didn't know, _truly know_ , if he had hurt her in every way possible before she died.

He could only look on and hear Jinora's suppressed sobs beside him as they watched the rowboat return to it's ship in the distance. But Kai kept watching and he knew Jinora and the rest of the crew were too. They watched and waited.

Waited...

Something flew over the side of the ship and he couldn't keep a shuddered breath from escaping. Even from this distance he knew Nima's shape. He closed his eyes as he fought the tears that were threatening to escape.

His daughter's body was drifting to the bottom of the ocean.

She was gone in every way. They couldn't even _bury_ her.

And it was _all of his fault_.

 _Nothing_ could fill this deep, roaring ache in his chest. It kept going in his mind again and again and again. _His daughter was dead because of him_.

Quill only helped killed her - for which he would pay for - but the real culprit was himself. Nima wouldn't have even been _out_ there had it not been for how he treated her.

He didn't mean it, he thought.

Fuck what you mean, then he told himself right after.

Nima's life was over. Sixteen years. Sixteen short years was all she got. He suppressed a sob. She deserved so much more and to express all that life she had in her. She'd wanted to dance all over the world and see so many things and _he had promised she would see it all because-_

Because he was her father. But what she hadn't known up until the last days of her life was that he was a horrible excuse for a father. That he didn't _deserve_ her apologies or her love. And now look.

He couldn't escape it.

His daughter was dead.

Every time it passed in his mind, he went back to when she had said her first word and he and Jinora had been so ecstatic even if it had been "Foo" instead of something baby talk for "Mommy" or "Daddy" because that girl wanted to make sure somebody fed her. He went back to the first time he ever started teaching her how to hold a knife properly or the time she tried to make cookies all by herself and got flour everywhere. Or even the first time she'd ever done her first dance performance and they were all so proud-

He swallowed hard.

 _His daughter was dead and he, her father, had all the blame for that_.

She was no longer breathing because of _him_.

But then… but then there too was someone who got to share some of that blame with. Some of that.

His thoughts were interrupted when that boy who came with the man on the rowboat strode past them, drinking a beer. Kai had every urge to strangle him with that own long hair of his. He was Water Tribe from the looks of it and big, even taller than Kai himself. The most Kai could make of him in this dark was his height and some trademark Water Tribe hair accessories.

Even then, it was enough that Kai would make him out in a fight should he get out of this. This guy _helped_ track them down and he-

The boy spilled his beer over a fallen sleep Ryu, earning him a few choice words from Ryu and a few distant laughs from a couple of Quil's men by the fire, but the boy didn't seem to take notice. Even as he passed Kai he took no more notice of the boy than necessary, but Kai did notice _something_.

Something small dropped in the sand. It was very small and very thin.

Dropped in the sand was a poor excuse for a knife, but the second he saw it, Kai didn't even glance up at the boy walking away now. He edged the weapon toward him, maneuvering it up to his fingers and gently into the lock of the shackles that chained his wrists to his ankles

It took him quite a second - Skoochy could have done this in no time flat. Kai was admittedly out of practice - but the shackles opened with a muffled cilnking _pop._ He could see Jinora's eyes cutting over to him, but she dared not look and he was glad for it. They needed to remain the way they were for the time being.

He would have to work quietly and quickly and he might even have to wait until the rest of Quil's men were a fair bit drunker, but Kai felt a barely contained fury inside him. A cold fury that had one target and one target only.

Kai himself was to blame for Nima's death, but another man shared some of that blame and that was the man who put a sword in her.

Quil was going to die in pieces if Kai had anything to say about it.

* * *

So, this chapter was really emotional to write. Of course, Kai is going to blame himself for Nima's death and that guilt is going to hit him a whole lot harder in the coming chapters. Even Jinora blames herself and some really emotional scenes are going to come along.

As always, guys I love it when you drop those reviews! This story hasn't gotten much feedback, so, if you read this fic then I'd absolutely love it if you'd let me know and/or leave a review! They really keep me going and keep me writing to get the next chapter out faster! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	6. Iron and Salt

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Iron and Salt  
****

* * *

It was some time before Kai felt safe enough pulling himself out of his bonds. His muscles ached from fighting the urge to get right up and go kill Quil and all of his men with his bare hands. He'd been fighting every instinct to tear them apart, but he thought very hard about his crew. About Jinora and about their two other children. They needed him to stay cool. At least, stay cool just long enough to have some kind of advantage.

By now, the fire wasn't quite so high and the roaring of the men's laughter had died down slightly. Kai knew that sound. The sound of men who'd passed out from being drunk. Quil's mistake for letting them do that. Now, those men weren't even going to be able to stumble to their feet before Kai killed them.

He made sure that nobody was watching them before he slowly got up. Most of the men were too busy with beer in their hands anyway. Quil had his back turned toward them and, to their luck, was moving farther and farther away as he walked to down the shoreline with what looked like his first mate. The first person Kai went to break out was Skoochy. Skoochy would get these locks undone quick as lightning, far faster than Kai probably could. When he was done, he handed over his knife and immediately went to sit back down next to Jinora, pretending to still be in his bonds just in case somebody looked over. Skoochy, skinny as he was, was nimble, quick and inconspicuous.

It didn't take long before the former slave came by, working as briskly as humanly possible to finally release Jinora, the last to have her bonds unlocked - special instructions Kai gave as a signal. For the first time in hours, he traded looks with Jinora, giving her a silent warning to stay down and not move too suddenly. That was the thing about Jinora. She usually knew what he was thinking and he was grateful for that especially with the calculated bloodlust ready to burst behind his eyes. She didn't need to see him when he started this.

While his crew remained creeping behind him in the shadows, Kai maneuvered through them, imagining that he _was_ the shadows. He did this a lot as a kid on the streets and life as a pirate had only helped him hone that skill. It helped _a lot_ that half these men were ready to pass out.

He spotted a man with long hair, practically swaying on his feet, back turned to Kai. His muscles twitched.

He remembered the braid of this man who helped haul Nima's body to him. He remembered the solid build of this man who then threw her to the ground like she was trash.

In an instant, Kai felt his instincts react. He reached out, bringing the man's crown and chin between his hands and did a rapid twist of the neck that resulted in the most unmistakable _snap_. The man dropped, but Kai didn't wait until he even hit the floor before dragging the other scumbag beside him - this one in particular had been grinning at Nima's body - to the ground and punching him square in the nose. He didn't even bother turning to see if somebody was going to be on him because Appa was there, grabbing a man in each hand and throwing them clear over the fire. When the one with the bloody nose drew his sword, Kai was quicker, drawing another knife off the man's person and sliding the sharp end right across his throat. After a minute of struggling for air that would never come - just like what all these men had let his baby go through - the man died slacked, dead.

But Kai wasn't finished, weapon in his hand and satisfied that the rest of his crew had managed to locate their own weapons again, he grabbed and stabbed the next nearest member of Quil's crew. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Imaru with Kai's personal weapon in his hand. Kai turned and caught it just in time, using the momentum to cut a rather skinny scoundrel from nose to navel almost literally. Kai left him to bleed out.

All these men were responsible for his daughter's death. _All of them_. They _each_ had a hand in killing her and Kai- he choked on a bitter taste threatening to overtake him, but he wrangled it back again. _His daughter was dead, but he'd be damned if any of them were going to get at his remaining children either._

A bulky fellow brandishing a rather fancy sword came at him with a run, nearly running over Kai when they met, but Kai ducked in and drove his sword through the man's belly and instantly he thought of his daughter's wound and the way she died. It made him run the sword deep as he could and _twisted it_ , relishing in the man's last death cry.

All these men needed to pay, but his crew would take care of that. His crew would make sure that Quil was out of at least _most_ of his crew. He said most since a few of them were seen running off when the chaos started.

Kai looked for only one.

His eyes raked through the mayhem, searching for _that one_ he needed to find when he caught sight of Ryu fighting the boy who'd spilled beer on him. The boy's name started with a D - Kai couldn't bring himself to remember much right now, but the boy had given Kai the knife just small enough to pick a lock. He wasn't stupid.

He waded over to the two and separated them with a clash of his sword. Kai gave Ryu a look and Ryu took the hint begrudgingly, throwing himself at another of Quil's crew nearby, but Kai looked at the boy. Water Tribe, taller than him and much longer hair than him.

"I won't kill you," Kai growled. "We're even. If you stay out of our way then I may not strand you on this island either. Do anything stupid and I'll cut you to ribbons."

His personal motives might not have been the most noble in that statement. He couldn't kill this one out of some confounded need to be somewhat honorable, but at the same time his urge to make them all pay was a bit undying. They'd have to figure out what to do with him.

Kai pushed him aside, wanting anyone who wasn't apart of his crew to get out of his way if they didn't want to die.

Kai only looked for _one man_.

And as if the gods had heard him, a large dark shadow rolled up into the light. Quil stood across the fire from him, their eyes meeting with a hatred Kai wasn't sure was even human. They circled each other until they were both on the same side of the fire and it was like a natural reaction when their swords clashed. Kai struck, going for blood and an eye if possible.

This _bastard_.

This _monster_ had killed his daughter in cold blood. She was just a- just a _pawn_ in his little game. A simple device in his little petty revenge to get back at Kai.

Well, he wanted Kai? Now, he had him right here.

Quil struck down, but Kai parried it, bringing his sword back to slash him across the chest and Quil met it swiftly, pushing him back. They stepped around the fire and Kai was perfectly aware he needed to be careful not to fall in too close lest Quil use his own height and weight as a weapon. Their blades clashed at a speed impossible to keep up with aside from the two of them. All Kai desired, all he craved in this moment, was to have his sword meet Quil's flesh in a fatal strike. This man needed to die for killing his daughter, for trying to hurt her for so long. Not that he expected Quil to treat anybody like a person, but at a point, Kai just wished this devil would have faced Kai _himself_ and quit trying to go through his children.

"Coward. Every last fiber of you," spat Kai through the clanging of metal. "You can't face me like a man so you went through her and you _kept_ trying to go through her."

Quil bared his teeth. "If that's what you'd like to call it. That's just a good business plan," he grunted, pulling back as Kai's defenses refused to break. Kai recoiled, bringing his weight back, but their swords only met again and again. "She was the quickest route to you and you know that. Who put her in harm's way in the first place?"

"Shut the hell up! _You killed her! You killed her because you're afraid to face me without any leverage! WELL HERE I AM YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"_

Feeling a surge of energy run through him, Kai parried Quil's sword to the side and swiped back up, his blade cutting clean across Quil's cheek and over his nose. It was a single cut, but it bled profusely and the bigger man stumbled back, holding his wound with a murderous welling in his eyes.

Pushing itself to the front of Kai's attention were Jinora's cries with recognizable anguish and anger in them. It was pulling him away from his fight with Quil, his natural concern for her overriding even his deepest need to kill the man in front of him.

" _You dirty rat. I'll run you through like the filthy rag you are-_ "

" _Likewise_ ," snapped Kai, his voice viciously hoarse. " _And every time you look at yourself in the mirror you'll be reminded of the fact that I will come for you and I_ will _kill you. Remember that."_

He didn't wait for a reply, glancing over in the direction of Jinora's voice to see her fending off two men by herself, her sword meeting theirs with the speed and force of a mother in agony. Even now, Kai could see the angry tears rolling down her cheeks.

He leapt away from Quil, having every intention to get back to him as soon as Jinora was safe. In a brutal jab with his sword, he ran one man through as Jinora finished the other by bringing her blade to his throat. In a moment of clarity in the chaos, he looked up, the reached out to caress her cheek, wiping away rolling tears as she suppressed a sob. A kind of immovable shame roiled in him as they both were thinking the same thing and about the same face of their baby that they were never going to see again.

She had blood on her face from where she'd cut through their daughter's killers in a blind… blind _something_. He wouldn't call it rage. Jinora wasn't exactly the type to slip into total controlling rage like he could, but rather, a fiery anguish that just wouldn't douse itself out no matter how hard she tried to calm herself.

A shriek of pain brought them back to reality as a body landed right behind Kai. He twisted around, Jinora raising her sword and his own instinct to protect her causing him to step forward. But it was only Skoochy who had attacked a man and stabbed him multiple times. Neither he nor Jinora stopped Skoochy. The man he was stabbing had made some lewd comments about Nima's body when they'd left her lying in the sand. Kai had personally wanted to slit the guy's throat, but what Skoochy had in mind would do too.

Remembering his original target, Kai looked back at where he and Quil had been fighting, but the other captain was gone. He looked through the fighting and the injured men scrambling away into the darkness. Nothing. His grip on his sword tightened. The monster had probably slipped away back to his ship the second Kai sprang away from him to help Jinora.

The mess of blades and blood died down almost in slow motion and he would have been more proud of his crew for their fighting skills today had it not been partially fueled by a deep seated need for revenge. They were all bloody. Ryu had lost his glasses and there was blood splattered on the side of his face, Appa was mostly red stained on the arms, Imaru on his forehead probably from where he'd headbutted someone, Pabu's shirt was as red as his hair and even Daw looked as if he'd hacked a few men to pieces. Longshot was almost a little scary to look at, practically covered head to toe in the stuff. There was something to be said about a man who knew the body's mortal weak spots.

Skoochy was seated on the man he'd left numerous holes in, panting from the effort it probably took to stab a man over what looked like thirty times.

Looking beside him, he was almost taken aback by all the blood on Jinora's hands and shirt, the patterns on which they stained her clothes telling him that she'd used her short stature to reach up and slash a lot of throats today.

He didn't even look down at himself, knowing, feeling and _smelling_ the overwhelming scent of human iron running all over him. By this time, he'd lost count of how many people he'd cut through. They were alone, all of Quil's crew having fled or been slain by now, except for one:

The Water Tribe boy who had given Kai the little knife.

He was easy to see, taller and broader than most of his crew, standing there on the other side of the fire still going. This one too was bloodied, not quite as much as Kai or the rest of his crew - he hadn't been _out_ for blood. He hadn't given a damn about the sweet girl's life that Quil had ended so horrifically.

What pissed him off the most were those impassive dark eyes, what color he couldn't make out nor did he care. They looked at him without much feeling at all. As if this was just a staring contest and he hadn't personally helped Quil end Nima's life.

It made Kai just want to throw him in the fire.

" _You_ ," began Kai, a cold seething radiating from his every word. "Are coming with us."

-:-:-:-

Getting on the ship hit Jinora harder than she had anticipated. Of course, she hadn't anticipated it. She hadn't anticipated her daughter being dead.

With each step onto the ship, she wanted to cry more and more. How were they ever going to be here without her? The ship had been Nima's home her entire life and-

"What _happened_ to you guys…?"

Momo's eyes widened when Jinora turned to face him. It'd been a long time since the entire crew had been this bloody and it had been as second since they'd been in a fight that bad. Jinora didn't answer him. She didn't have the heart to.

"We were worried like crazy," he said in disbelief. "You were gone for the whole night…. what happened?"

But it was Lefty, Jinora knew, that realized it first. Bless him for always being observant. She didn't have to say it. Her breath hitched in an effort not to burst into tears. His expression slowly clicked into one of horror when he looked over them all. When he realized that one sixteen year old girl standing about five foot four was missing from their bloodied crew.

"Jinora, what is it? Hey, will you guys say something?" asked Momo, brows knitted in distress. "What happened? Where's Neems? She okay? Did you take her to the infirmary or-"

And, bless him again, it was Lefty who put a hand Momo's shoulder. As if knowing what was going on, Appa walked over next to Jinora, shaking his head at Momo in a lost kind of way. Momo's eyes widened and tears immediately began to fall. Momo was smart. He knew and when he finally figured it out, Jinora couldn't stand to see his tears fall or hear his cries or telling his uncle that it couldn't be true.

She turned and walked away, clutching her chest, feeling like she was going to have a heart attack. Her whole world seemed to be falling to pieces right from that moment as even the air didn't want to grace her lungs right now nor did she feel like she could handle breathing much at all. Just-

 _Her baby was dead_.

"...Mom?"

Rama had been watching the whole thing, she realized, when he too looked like he was going to cry. Taani clutched the sleeve of his shirt, her face blank, but Jinora knowing full well the dreadful anticipation that the twins probably shared in that moment.

Jinora sucked in a shaky breath. Appa and Lefty could tell Momo, but she needed to tell her children herself.

"...Mom, where''s Nima?" he asked quickly, his throat bobbing when she didn't bother to hide her tears anymore and reached out to touch their cheeks. "Don't look at me like that, _where is she?_ "

Jinora took a moment - several - to get the words in her throat and then another to finally get them out in a single sentence that almost made her pass out entirely. "Baby," she wheezed. "Nima's dead."

There was an earth shattering moment of silence where the twins looked at their mother, Rama's eyes wide and frozen - too much like Nima's were when they'd thrown her body on the ground - and Taani's sleepy and unassuming, but the stillness in them both reverberated the shock.

"You're lying," was finally what Rama said and Jinora almost choked on air.

Jinora shook her head, lips burning as her own salt met them through her tears, and did not have the heart to say it again. She reached out to hold him, but he pushed her away, a slight panic taking over his features. "Rama-"

"No! You're lying! Just tell me where she is! Why won't you tell me?" he asked, raising his voice now, but Jinora could only stare at him as she cried more if that was even possible. "Just _tell me! I want to see her. She's-"_

But it was Taani who gripped the back of his rust colored shirt. He looked at her, but she didn't looked at him, her hand clamped down on his rolled up sleeves the only thing she needed to reach a mutual understanding. Still, Rama looked back at his mother and the only word to describe the look on his face was _heartbroken_.

His face screwed up with the effort not to cry, but it eventually contorted into the kind Jinora had come to know meant resentment and even rage. Her son wasn't oblivious and he could put two and two together about how his sister had died.

"Sweetie-"

Rama tore away from his mother and sister and turned to face his father who was leaning over the rails of the ship, head hung and staring at the water as if waiting for something. Marching over to him, Rama shoved his father, tears in his eyes.

" _Why did you have to treat her so badly? She kept trying to say she was sorry!_ " Rama shouted at his father when Kai turned around. Kai didn't say anything, but only looked down at his son with a miserable hollowness in his eyes. " _She ran away because you made her and she felt so bad she just had to get away from the ship where it was safe!"_

"Rama…" croaked Jinora though it was barely audible, her voice breaking apart.

Her son ignored her. " _Why couldn't you have just accepted her apology? But no! It's always about_ _ **your**_ _pain and how_ _ **you**_ _feel, but you didn't even care how upset she was! And now she's dead! And it's your-"_

Yung had moved across the deck and clamped his hand down on Rama's shoulder, not so much as a warning, but as an instinct of damage control. Panting, Rama turned away from Kai and pushed Yung away from him as well. He looked up at Yung, biting on his bottom lip and failing at his attempt not to cry.

Unable to stand it, he stormed away and below deck, wiping his tears away with the base of his palm. Kai, on the other hand, stood there. He looked past Yung and only looked at Jinora, the rest of the crew hovering around when they saw what most of them thought to be the impossible.

His eyes became overbright as tears began to overcome his ability to hold them back. The control he had over his own feelings were crumbling, Jinora knew, and he seemed to be battling with a bitter taste in his mouth the way his mouth was so tight and he reached up to rub his eyes.

-:-:-:-

He was crying.

Dan had to repeat that to himself several times before it really hit that this infamous Pirate Lord was crying right in front of his own crew. He stared for a moment, slightly stunned but keeping his face still. He willed his gaze to wander to where the horizon was invisible in the dark.

I had no part in her death, he told himself.

He hadn't killed the girl. He hadn't even known what Quil or Teng would do with her. He only did his job.

Still, the younger boy's outburst - one of the twins probably - had been hard to ignore. Even harder to ignore was the mother who was barely standing upright it seemed her every step was so weak. And now the captain was crying as well.

Even if they hadn't been crying, the grip the two bigger men of the crew - Appa and Imaru, the captain had called them when he ordered them to grab him - was a clear sign that he was less than welcome right now. Dan hadn't said anything in protest or even resisted. Firstly, he was absolutely outnumbered. Secondly, it would be rather counterproductive to fight the only ride he was probably going to get. Thirdly, he couldn't exactly blame them.

I didn't even know what they wanted, Dan reminded himself. I was just told to track them down.

 _Why_ had he agreed to work for Captain Quil? Why hadn't he just found some loophole, the payment they'd agreed on be damned. The money hadn't been something he really cared about anyway. He should have known exactly what would become of the victims of a slave trader, but he hadn't bothered to ask questions. It was always better never to ask questions. Just do your job and move on, but… still. Slave traders were never a group of people that Dan was exactly the type to take jobs from. Just pirates hunting other pirates, yes. Hell, even government officials weren't beyond his list of clients as long as they weren't _too_ buddy buddy with the law. In fact, he'd only agreed to contract with Captain's Teng's crew for that very reason: the man was a pirate hunter who was basically as corrupt as most pirates. More so when he thought about the fact that the man had worked with slave traders.

One of the men holding him, the bigger one, clamped a hand on his neck and half shoved him toward the door leading below deck. "Nothing for you to see here," he said. "Imaru and I will come and get you when the captain's ready."

They took him below deck, far below deck and threw him into what Dan knew to be the brig.

"Just sit tight," said the one that must have been Appa.

Dan shook his head when they slammed the door.

What else was he exactly supposed to do?

-:-:-:-

Kai closed his eyes and took in a deep, trembling breath. He cleared his throat, his voice still not allowing him a solid tone. "I-I'm sorry. I'm… I'm fine. Let's just d-do what we need to do so we can get out of-"

"Kai. Let me take charge," said Yung, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I can take care of all this."

"Yung, I'm alright. Really, I just need to-"

"Jinora needs you. Both of you need to take a little time. Please, Kai. Just let me help you..."

"How can you help?" snapped Kai. "I don't need time to think, okay!? I just need to do my job! You can't help me right now, Yung! If you can bring Nima back, _then you can_ -"

" _Jinora needs you_ ," repeated Yung, grabbing him by the sleeve and pulling him forward. It made Kai look up at his wife, standing in the middle of the deck like she didn't know what to do. He'd never seen her looking quite so broken and lost. She was always the one who could stand up when he couldn't.

But now…

He swallowed hard and looked at Yung again, tired. "Okay… okay, I get it. Are you sure…?"

"Positive. Just go be together for a while, okay? We'll take care of everything up here."

Kai walked up to Jinora and took her in his arms. They didn't care who was there and who saw them. Their baby was gone and, somehow, some way, they were going to have to figure out how to live without her.

* * *

This chapter was just so much grief. I mean, there's no other way to describe this chapter aside from grief and revenge because that's all that's going through Kai's mind and everybody else's too. The next chapters are going to cover a lot of the feelings, amongst other things.

This fic hasn't gotten but attention, so, if you're reading and you have some thoughts about it, leave a review and some feedback! I'd love to hear from it even if it's just you pointing something out. The feedback really keeps me writing and keeps me going. If I'm so bold as to say, I feel like this is some of my best work so I'd love to see a few more reviews for it and hear more feedback! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	7. Interrogation

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Interrogation****

* * *

The dark was colder than usual. If not for Jinora, it might have been unbearable. It trickled into his skin and threatened to eat him alive no matter what he did or what he thought of. Yet, they sat apart. Kai sat on one side of the bed while Jinora stood against the wall of their quarters, each needing the other's presence, but their arms and limbs reminded each other too much that they were both half of the child they'd just lost. Nima had gotten her brown skin from him and her green eyes, but Jinora had blessed her with her features: the shape of those eyes, the color of her hair, the curve of her face…

All of it _gone_.

Not even a body to bury.

No... that was floating to the bottom of the ocean, discarded like nothing.

Kai sat on the bed, elbows on knees and threatened to curve in on himself. He couldn't even think about going after Captain Teng right at this very moment whose ship had disappeared sometime during his fight with Quil. Probably run off when they saw the fight from their ship and got scared. Good. He should be scared because when Kai finished hunting him down he was going to kill him. And that was a promise and more.

But right now he could barely move and only swiveled his head when he heard a thump and a sob. Jinora had slid to the ground, holding her mouth. She dropped to her knees, back against the wall and just cried and cried.

" _I'm so sorry_ ," she sobbed. " _I-I should have let you go find her. I should have-_ "

But Kai was already on his knees next to her, holding her in his arms as she curled in and held him for dear life.

"Don't-" He choked, tears leaking from his eyes at the sight of _her_ crying and his _own_ crushing feelings. "Don't you dare think for _one second_ that this is your fault. Gyatso, it's _mine_. She ran off because of _me_. Rama's right…"

Jinora shook her head, laying it against his chest as he held her tighter, tucking her head under his chin. " _I-I told you not to go and find her. We should have gone to find her right away, I just… what type of mother just lets her daughter run off on some jungle island!?"_

Her tearful shouts were muffled against his shirt and Kai stroked her hair, just holding her because he didn't know what else to do. What else _was_ there to do? If it weren't for her and the twins and everybody else on this ship he might have thrown himself into the sea as well. To go find his daughter's body or to join it…

He wanted the gods to take him instead. Let him be the one Quil killed. She had no business being out there and _nothing… nothing_ was going to settle the issue in his mind that Nima was only out there because Kai had made her cry that terrible.

She cried before she died. He remembered seeing the tear stains on her cheeks, still fresh and the skin delicate and it made him sick the moment he'd realized that she had been dead for less than an hour at the time. That she was probably running around such a short time ago and the last moments of her life had been so horrible…

Did she cry as she died…? Was she scared? How scared was she? Had she tried to run away when he killed her? Her eyes were open when Quil had shown Kai the body so she'd at least been awake…

God, did he…? Did Quil finish what he started four years ago when he'd first met Nima?

The questions _haunted him_ and not for one second did Kai deserve to be left at peace when his daughter's death fell squarely on his shoulders, no matter what Jinora said. All he wanted to do was go bash his head into a wall, blister the knuckles of his fists or bloody himself somewhere. Just let it hurt on his body, but his soul couldn't take this.

It was like somebody had ripped a piece of his core out and stabbed it, but the rest of his body was still expected to keep on going, heart in tatters and bleeding out. He thought of all the blood that had stained Nima's dress and knew perfectly well that her death had not been swift. It'd been slow and… by gods, it's been painful. Quil had made sure of that.

 _Quil_.

An anger unlike anything he could have ever fathomed burned in his heart and up and down his spine. That _evil monster of a man_ had killed his daughter just to get back at him. He hadn't even been man enough to face him one-on-one and had resorted to _killing his child_ -

His hands tightened on Jinora's sleeves.

 _When Kai got a hold of him he was going to die the worst death he could imagine if it was the last thing he-_

" _I-I can't do this…_ "

Jinora's sobs brought him back to reality and he immediately planted his lips in her hair. He couldn't stand her crying like this and sought only to make it better, but what the hell could he do when he'd effectively had killed their own kid?

"Jinora, it was _my_ fault. _I_ killed Nima. I…" Kai let the tears fall into her hair. "If I hadn't ignored her then she wouldn't have ran off in the first place. I'm so sorry… _I'm so sorry…_ "

He felt Jinora's hand on his heart and her head shifted to look up at him. They stared in one another's eyes, their shared grief the only comfort in this world that had taken their daughter so cruelly.

She didn't _deserve_ this.

Nima hadn't deserved to lose her life like that, and how was _their_ lives going to ever be the same without her? Without her and _knowing_ that she'd died in such a gruesome way? In the way that every parent feared would become of their child?

Jinora placed her head back on his chest and clutched the crook of his elbow. He held her. He held her and did not dare let her go lest either of them break apart from the inside out.

For the time being, this was the only thing they _could_ do.

They could cry and they could hold each other.

So, cry and hold each other was what they would do. For the sake of themselves and for their other two children that still needed parents.

-:-:-:-

The first order of business, above all, was to get everybody rested in some form of way. Skoochy didn't want to eat and he insisted on just staying outside steering the ship with his cigarettes for company, grabbing only a quick snack from the kitchen for strength.

But Yung knew he just didn't need anybody around when he cried. It was then that he realized Skoochy had actually left his cigarettes lying on the table.

Of course, Yung thought tiredly.

Nima was the only who got those for him from Shen's Smokes and Liquors. If he were Skoochy, no matter how bad he needed his fix, smoking _those_ particular cigarettes would make him feel sick too.

The dining hall was somber. Silent. And there was little talk aside from the occasional request to pass something. Most of them were too busy with their own tears. Momo was the biggest mess, sniffing hard with Pabu rubbing his back. The twins had gone to their own rooms, Rama too angry to deal with anybody and Taani probably needing to not be social for some time. Yung let them, too busy trying to figure out what their next step was without bursting into tears himself. Again.

His eyes burned from all the crying he'd done himself already, on the beach and after they'd had to break the news to Lefty, Momo and the twins. Everybody in the room had red-rimmed eyes though. From Appa silently eating his soup to Daw who was busy coming back and forth from the kitchen with this little thing he whipped up and that snack he'd been meaning to make last night anyway. Needless to say, the soup was actually a little burnt.

Twenty four men sat in that dining hall and each one looked like they'd had a piece of them chipped off. Yung felt like that himself. Nima had essentially been his granddaughter. Hell, she _was_ his granddaughter. She'd lived on this ship her whole life and they'd all known her since she was _born_. She'd called him grandpa. She'd asked him to read her stories and sing lullabies to her as a little girl. They'd looked at the constellations at night when he was on lookout duty and she couldn't sleep.

Yung sighed through his nose, trying to still the quake in his chest.

He should have tried harder to convince Kai and Nima to talk. He should have relentlessly drilled Kai until he yanked him out of his well that he'd dug himself into and now…

Now, look.

He was going to cry again, but blinked the tears away.

He could cry in private when the rest of his men, for the moment, didn't need him to be strong. Kai needed him to be strong. Jinora did too and the twins and all these men sitting here.

Still, her empty chair two seats down Kai's at the head of the table on the left side stung more than anything.

"So, what's our next plan here?" asked Lefty, quietly.

Of course, it would be Lefty who could share the weight of grief with Yung. He could shoulder it so Yung didn't have to do it alone.

Yung sighed. "Right now, we rest," he said loud enough to announce to the table. "Most of us have been up all night in the cold and we can't afford to get sick. We'll sail out of the Amaterasu Sea. Into the Wujin Sea. Korra and Mako's girl rules those waters and we'll be safe there. We just need a place to get ourselves together…"

Tikaani Iluak was Mako and Korra's younger child. As Pirate Lord of the Wujin Sea she would welcome them to her waters with open arms. But telling her about Nima… that was going to be a task. Yung would write the letter and send it ahead of time. Perhaps Otaku could help him… in a few days they were going to need to let certain people know about Nima's death. Jinora's family, Tikaani who was… had been for all intents and purposes an older sister to Nima, one or two friends of the family.

People who were going to miss her dearly. Her playful smile and her dancing feet. Gods, he was going to miss watching her be so happy when she danced.

Yung closed his eyes, sighing through his nose again as he tried to stave off tears. He felt a large hand on his forearm, however, and looked over to see Lefty reaching out to grab him, the bigger man with a glassy look in his eyes as well.

"And after that?" croaked Zedd, almost appearing drunk from his own sorrow. Zedd was an avid - more like addicted - gambler, saved from certain death by Kai ages ago after a betting pool had nearly gotten him killed. The man's dice, normally always shifting around in his hands like a nervous tick, laid still on the table. They were the red and black ones Nima had gotten him on an outing one day. "We can't stay out there hidin'. We need to get out there and go kill that bastard!"

"Easy, Zedd," said Lefty, crossing his arms. "Quil's not the easiest man to kill. Not just because of his skill with a sword, but he's also usually pretty well guarded. A man like that has a mountain of enemies and people who want him dead. We're not the only ones."

"So, we're just going to let him get away with it? Killing our little girl like that?" Sudhir took a hefty swig of beer and set the bottle down with an audible thud. "H-he gutted her like she was nothing! We _should_ let Kai put his head on a spike."

"And I _agree_ ," said Yung, letting his sense of vengeance take over for but only a precious moment. "And we _will_. We _will_ take him down, but we _can't_ do that if we're all half dead from cold and disease ourselves. We need to get our strength back and to get ourselves together. _Does everybody, understand?_ "

His crew nodded, some immediately and some reluctantly, but all understood.

Yung nodded back at them.

"Good."

-:-:-:-

The brig here was small. Very small, actually. Dan noticed a set of rooms on the way down, several where the wood looked rather new compared to the rest of the ship. Then again, having a full crew plus three extra kids on a ship certainly required somewhere to put them all.

He'd heard about Captain Kai. Captain of _The Waterbender_ and one of the seven Pirate Lords, he being Lord of the Amaterasu Sea. He was famous for his sword fighting, slave liberation and list of enemies. He was married and had three children. His daughter was… _had_ been a famous dancer and a rather attractive gem to slave traders due to her dancing skills and lineage. That made them somewhat high risk targets, but it was the Captain's reputation that kept most away.

That, in all its glory, was what Dan knew about Captain Kai personally. All he needed. He didn't really need nor did he want to know too much more. It made it easier to hunt the man and his crew down.

He snorted.

And where had that gotten?

Sitting in the tiny brig of the ship he'd been tracking down in the first place. God, this was just perfect. How on earth did he get himself into this mess? He should have just left it alone, but he couldn't, his body almost involuntarily letting that knife slip from between his fingers back on the island.

But he did have to admit that he had a problem with the dead girl for reasons he shoved back down his throat and didn't dare entertain… still though. Even for him it was a bit too much. Next time, he'd ask _why_ he was hunting them down. Dan had gotten the distinct impression that the girl's _father_ had been the only intended target, their crew maybe and Quil had been a pirate who wanted to settle a sizable rivalry. What he hadn't expected was for Captain Quil to waste his time and energy killing the girl. What had been the point of that?

Dan was perfectly well aware of _that_ simple reason, having heard stories about Captain Quil's ruthlessness and sadism. Efficiency made the man, but it was also something he enjoyed. The girl had been an appetizer to him.

Dan sighed. Caring made his job a lot harder. Killing was easier if you didn't think about the target, but something about this last job left a very bitter taste in his mouth. He was not and had never signed up to be in the business of killing kids. Though the girl didn't exactly look like a kid, she was still definitely no older than him. A kid to Captain Quil by all standards. Next time, he'd have to care. At least a little bit to avoid _this_ mess he was in now. If there was going to be a next time that is. He would have to think of some way to escape in case Captain Kai decided he wanted to stab something else that had even the tiniest part in his daughter's death.

As if some divine figure was having a laugh with him, the door clanked open and Dan looked up from his seat on a old sturdy crate that'd been left in there. The man named Appa looked at him for a long moment as if to study him. What now?

"Come on," said Appa, jerking his head. "You've got some explaining to do."

Dragging himself to his feet, Dan raised a cold brow at the man waiting for him at the door, no chains and no weapons drawn. Then again, the guy was big enough to be a weapon in and of himself, even bigger than Captain Quil.

"I won't be killin' you right now," said Appa when Dan began to walk toward him in a slow fashion. "Just come on. The captain wants to see you."

"See me or kill me?" drawled Dan.

Appa smiled in something of a half grimace. "Well, that depends on what you have to say for yourself, doesn't it? My niece is still dead."

Eyeing the man, no matter what he claimed he wasn't going to do, Dan slipped out of the cell with a glance over his shoulder. Appa didn't push him or lay a hand on him, only a heavy footfall being the indicator that somebody was there.

Still, he tensed his muscles.

Just in case he was indeed being led to an execution.

-:-:-:-

"We should make him talk. By whatever means necessary."

"We'll get him to talk, but we're not going to torture him."

"He deserves it," hissed Skoochy.

Kai didn't look at him. "Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn't. Either way, we're better than that… and it's not something Nima would have wanted. Now, be quiet for a minute."

When Appa finally brought the boy into the dining hall, Kai could only look on with a resentment he could feel burning behind his eyes. Perhaps it was unfair, just maybe, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Not when Jinora sat at his right, her eyes so red-rimmed he knew they probably hurt and not when his twins were basically locked in their rooms from grief - and justified rage in Rama's case. He couldn't bring himself to care when his crew had a broken heart just like he did.

He couldn't bring himself to care because here was a guy whose hand had some of Nima's blood underneath his fingernails even if he'd never even laid his eyes on her until he saw her body.

Kai took him in all at once.

He was clearly Water Tribe. Both from his features and from the accessories adorning his long hair. Roughly just twenty years old. A young man. His stance showed a casual preparedness. Like a prisoner who knew some kind of day was coming for him. Good. He was scared for his life right now. Or, at least, cautious about it's standing.

As he should be, thought Kai, cold rage still running through his own veins. In reality, the only thing keeping him from cutting himself open and letting his blood run out of his body was business with this boy and his family needing him more than he needed a release. He tried not to think about the fact that it was Jinora's tears that kept him grounded.

There was silence as he came in. All eyes of his twenty-six man crew, Jinora included, were on him. Seated at their long dining table where the chair two down from Kai's left remained empty. Kai eyed the boy, a silent order to take a seat somewhere, but then he slowly began pulling out that chair two down Kai's left.

" _Don't you dare sit there,_ " snapped Skoochy, a growl furling in his throat. He looked at the young man with an evident fury barely contained behind his dark eyes. The young man stilled at the harsh reprimand that Kai didn't bother to correct, a mask of careful calculation as he looked at them all over his dark features.

Jinora sniffed hard, her voice but a whisper. "That was my daughter's chair…"

Kai could have swore he saw something in young man's eyes, but that knife that had gouged a wound into his heart was letting some of the warmth out and he wasn't feeling particularly understanding today. A _real_ , sharp _actual_ knife was on the end of his fingertips, the wooden hilt smooth against his skin as Kai recalled the last time he actually threw a knife at someone - and took their life with it.

The young man took a seat on the end of the table so that he and Kai were staring at each other face to face.

More silence, more studying, neither man saying a word to the other for a little while. The young man's expression read nothing but apathy and a kind of careful disregard. He just yet might get stabbed after all.

It was Kai who broke the silence. "What's your name?"

"Danuma," said the young man.

"Danuma," repeated Kai, committing the name to memory. "Well, _Danuma_. Who the hell are you and why was my daughter's death and my capture "fruits of your labor" as your _employer_ so quaintly put it?"

"Because I worked for him."

The sharp end of Kai's knife met the table with an audible _thunk_. "Don't make me jam this knife into your throat."

Danuma frowned, hardly batting an eye. "You're going to ask me for answers I just don't have."

" _Like hell you don't_ ," growled Kai, feeling a spike of heat in his blood." _I just saw my daughter's gutted body get thrown into the ocean without so much as a proper burial. Now, you're going to tell me what part you had in that and then_ pray _I don't kill you_."

"You're not going to kill me," said Danuma, his face still stone.

"Oh?" Kai raised his eyebrows, the lightest lilt of amusement flitting through his voice. "Is that so?"

Finally, Danuma shifted, crossing his arms over his chest. "If you were going to kill me then you would have had it done by now. I had no part in your daughter's death."

"You did _something_ for Quil and you're going to tell me _what_ or I may _actually_ dig this knife into your heart just because I don't know what I'm going to do with myself, quite frankly."

Nobody at the table protested. Not even Jinora. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"First of all," said Danuma in such an apathetic way that Kai's muscles twitched. "I work for Captain Teng. Not Captain Quil. Captain Teng went to Captain Quil about acquiring some financial support and Captain Quil provided that in the form of a deal."

Kai pressed the knife further into the table. "What deal was this?"

"That should be obvious," said Danuma plainly. "You were the deal. I was simply to find you."

"You weren't simply to _find_ me for the sake of _finding_ me. You had to have known what the hell was going to happen," said Kai, his lip curling. "Which means that _you_ are probably the reason why I've suspected that we were being followed. I had us go to that island so that we could shake your lot off our trail."

"I'm aware. My job was to predict your routes. Guess where you would go next based off your financial records, purchase records and supply records I managed to dig around in your frequented cities of Jietou, Yun Ho and Republic City. You'd been buying things associated with ship repairs and most of your crew had spent a lot of personal money at a bar in Yun Ho a few months ago." Kai squinted at Danuma, who went on, drumming his fingers against the hilt of his knife with a tic of irritation. "I take it that they damaged the ship coming home drunk, as pirates are known to do on summer nights when a festival is in town as it had been that week. However, you'd also spent quite a bit of money on herbs. Am I correct?"

Indeed, a sickness had gone through the ship that scared them all half to death. It'd just been an odd cold from their time in the Canyue Sea during prime spring time fever season, but Longshot had used a hefty sums worth of medicine and herbs to stave off anything too terrible from sweeping through the crew and they'd needed to replenish their stores.

"You were coming from the Gold Coast and needed to save money. If you veered southwest, then you were probably heading for an uninhabited island for supplies to scrounge for. If you headed northwest then you were probably headed for the trading towns near Lushe north of the Fire Nation for cheaper supplies."

Kai raised his eyebrows slightly and clucked his tongue. "I see… Quil has never bothered to pursue us, _I've_ always predicted, because it's always been a hassle. The time he spends tracking us down is time wasted doing business. Time he can't really waste. You eliminated that waste of time and made it much easier."

Danuma didn't say anything.

"You know, you're right, I _didn't_ plan on killing you, but just saying all of that makes me… Oh, I don't know… _twitchy_." Kai's fingers curl on the knife hilt. " _If you knew all of that, then you probably knew I had children and_ that _is something I may want to slit your throat fo-"_

"Captain," Yung on his left said quietly.

" _Not now, Yung_ -"

"Captain, we can't just kill him. That's not us. It's not _you_. You even said it yourself. And what if he really didn't know-"

" _He should have guessed it! Asked questions! But he only cared about his goddamn money and now Nima's_ dead! _How the hell can you sit there and tell me not to-_ "

" _Because it's not going to bring her back, Kai._ "

It was then that Kai uncurled his fingers from the hilt and swallowed hard. His breathing was no less tense, but he was aware of it now as his jaw clenched. The world lost a little bit of it's light when Yung said that. His first mate looked at him, eyes pleading, yet, holding him with a firmness. A desperation. A shared sense of grief.

But Kai had never handled grief well. Or feelings in general. Not hard feelings and certainly not _this_. Not this bottomless aching sensation that reached far, far down past the cavity of his chest and into his belly.

It made him sick and and it was turning him into something empty.

Kai looked back at Danuma.

He _should_ pay for what he helped Quil do. Gods above, he _should_ pay. That being said, Kai wasn't the one who would swing the axe of justice because, try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to cross that line quite so much.

"Why the fuck didn't you ask for what purpose were you hunting me down for if it wasn't obvious why a slave trader might want to find somebody?" he asked, suddenly very tired.

Danuma shook his head slightly. "I do my job. That's it. That is all. I was under contract with Captain Teng and it was _his_ deal to make. I was just a part of his arsenal. If it's any consolation, I never liked Captain Quil. I can tell you that for certain."

"You could have refused," said Kai through gritted teeth.

"Not how that works."

It was Kai's turn to shake his head, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. "You just have all the answers don't you?"

"I didn't know he was going to kill your daughter-"

"You knew something. I can see that even in eyes like yours." Kai frowned. "You knew and you didn't ask. You didn't say a damn thing."

Danuma was quiet for a long moment. "I didn't kill your daughter. Nor did I know that he was going to kill her," he said. "That's the truth."

"But do you care?"

Kai was met with another long silence, nothing but a flicker of the eyes from the young man. With that, Kai had enough. He got up, sheathing his knife as he did.

"You'll stay in the brig at night. I won't keep you there all day. You'll be free enough to move around the ship for the most part." Not a soul on his crew dared defy him on it at the moment despite a few of the looks he got from them. Especially from Skoochy, Sudhir and even Ryu. "You can try to escape, but we won't be hitting any land for a good while, so, you can dive into the ocean and drown for all I care. When we do hit land again, _then_ we'll figure out what to do with you. Stay out of my way and that won't be burying your body."

Now, up to his neck in emotions that were threatening to strangle him, Kai left the dining hall.

-:-:-:-

I didn't know she would get hurt like that, Dan reminded himself. I didn't know she would die.

He was forced to stare at each of these people who had loved this girl he'd helped track down. Some of them looked at him pure disgust, others with a grimace, but the mother didn't look at him. She only looked at the table, like there was a whole world she'd just lost. A hollowness glazed her eyes and he could see the dying laughs and smiles that might have been around this table before him.

Exhaling, he steadied his breath.

Well, if he was free to move about the ship then he wasn't going to spend it in here.

He got up to go outside and meet the morning light or the sea or the god unending horizon - anything but more faces.

"He didn't kill you because he knows you didn't do it." The man named Yung spoke just as Dan made it for the door. Dan turned slightly, just enough to see the back of the man's head. "The captain knows you didn't kill our girl."

Dan went in the opposite direction of the Captain, not letting himself stay there another moment.

-:-:-:-

Shipwrecks were awfully useful when placed just right.

The body floated just above a large hulk of wood that once was called a ship. Her brown hair floated around her and the green of her eyes danced with the color of the sea this far down. It'd taken a hell and a half of magic to track her down so precisely and _this_ was where she'd ended up?

But then again, _what an opportunity_.

When she'd stopped being able to sense the tracking magic on the girl, she hadn't known why. What other magic would have been able to dissolve a tracking spell like _that?_ It was one of her own concoctions after all. A pretty little stroke of genius charmed with the Touch of Permanency spell she'd read in that book about ten years back. That fine bit of tracking magic shouldn't have worn off until she'd gotten her hands on her target. Now, here she was, wondering what had made the confounded thing wear off three days ago.

At first, realizing the girl was now a floating body in the middle of the Amaterasu had almost made Tianmei turn around and never come back. What promise she had seen was clearly a fluke if the girl had somehow ended up dead at the bottom of the ocean. She actually _had_ turned right around. To the nearest town, in fact, on an island more than a hundred miles away.

But then her server at a nice little restaurant had gotten a bit too clumsy and was being oh, so lovingly chucked out the doors.

"Please, I need this job! _How am I going to live!?_ " begged the wench, getting down on her knees.

And Tianmei thought with a little smile, just like that. Just what you're doing now.

Then, like the light of dawn, it pierced through the cloud in her mind. How blind. How utterly careless she must have been not to think of it sooner.

Not even finishing her meal, she swooped right back to that spot over the middle of the ocean and descended it's depths where she saw the body, the end of the girl's dress caught on the spike of what used to be the bowsprit. The girl's arms were spread out, her dress dyed through in what could be presumed to be her own blood, and she floated like a flower drowned in a lake.

Yes.

She would do nicely.

* * *

More aftermath of Nima's death, but this chapter has a lot of swirling emotions in it. Everybody trying to grapple with the grief and, in some cases, guilt.

Next chapter is going to have a centric crew scene in it though! So, look out for that!

Lastly, meet Tianmei. I won't say much more than that lest I spoil you, but I'm a few chapters ahead in writing and I'll say she's a fun one to write.

If you guys can spare a minute to leave a review, I'd be really grateful! This fic hasn't gotten much attention or reviews in general and I'd love to hear from you! Even if it's just you pointing something out, taking that minute really means a lot! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	8. By the Moonlight

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **By the Moonlight  
****

* * *

Three days later, _The Waterbender_ was just on the western edge of the Wujin Sea, an emptier vessel without Kai, Nima and the twins running around. Only Jinora managed to be functioning enough to move around like normal, but even then how could you call that normal?

Yung tried to talk to her and she heard him, but it was clear as day that her mind was elsewhere. He just prayed it wasn't back on that beach reliving _that_ moment. Of course, what else would she be thinking about?

The deck was was void of laughter and downright hostile whenever Danuma came around for one reason or another. Most of the crew seemed to tolerate him, but Skoochy wanted nothing to do with him - better for the boy considering Skoochy's temper. Momo, bless his heart, seemed to be the most willing to speak with him. Danuma wasn't seemingly very responsive, but it still kept the hostilities down to a minimal whenever Momo got involved.

Kai stayed in his quarters most of the time and the crew let him. He needed to get away. Not look anything that reminded him of Nima for a while. According to Jinora, he kept himself busy, reading something, doing paperwork or just plain sleeping. Jinora, on the other hand, couldn't seem to bring herself to read most of her books. The majority of them had once been read to Nima as a bedtime story long ago.

While the twins and Kai kept to their rooms for dinner and Dan the brig or the deck of the ship, the crew still sat around the dining table, making sure to keep Nima's spot open, one or two of the men glancing at it with the faintest sound of a sniffle.

Nukko, one of their own from the Northern Water Tribe, pursed his lips, his long, dark hair vaguely reminding Yung of their newest addition. He looked at them all.

"I don't think he killed her."

Skoochy let out a restless breath.

"We know that," he grunted. "Doesn't mean he's still not to blame. You heard the guy! He helped! And he doesn't even care! We should have tossed him over the side of the ship days ago."

"Skooch," sighed Yung, leaning an elbow against the table and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You know why we can't do that."

"Exactly," said Nukko, frowning at Skoochy. "Look… the guy's from the Northern Water Tribe. I can tell you that much easy. I can tell just by looking at him.

Skoochy rolled his eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You ever been a male in the Northern Water Tribe? You're half expected to be a block of ice. I'm just saying, I've seen a thousand like him growing up… he wouldn't have helped us if he didn't feel _something_. Maybe we shouldn't' be so quick to judge. We'd all probably be sold off somewhere or dead if it wasn't for him."

Nukko raised his eyebrows at Yung. Yung nodded.

"I agree…" he said. "Perhaps we should try talking to him again. See what he knows about Quil. Perhaps, at the very least, we can get justice for her. He can probably help us with that."

"He doesn't _care_ , Yung," Skoochy hissed. "We shouldn't be looking for help from gutter rats like him. She wouldn't be dead in the first place if money wasn't all he cared about. Kai's right."

"Like you've never made a mistake before," snapped Nukko. "Maybe he feels guilty is my point. Let's not write him off so quickly."

Skoochy went quiet for a moment, going back to his food, grumbling. "Why are we even having this conversation?"

"So that nobody decides to play vigilante one of these days." That was Lefty. He'd been rather silent since he heard the news. "Your temper's pretty strong there, Skooch. Can't blame a guy for being worried, can you?"

"Besides, maybe Nukko's right," said Pabu hopefully. He shrugged awkwardly, sniffling. "I've talked to him. Momo's talked to him. He's alright. Not really one for conversation, but then again, neither is Longshot. We weren't there when she… _you know_ … but we know who _is_ responsible. What's the point in taking it out on him?"

"I'm with Skoochy," said Zedd, swallowing his bite of chicken. "What are we supposed to do? Hold the guy's hand through his oh, so difficult time?"

"Thank you!" Skoochy gestured toward Zedd with a wave of his hand. "That's all I'm trying to say."

"Yeah, but…" Momo slumped. "I'm with Yung. Hating him isn't going to bring her back. Longshot?"

Momo turned to the quiet man next to him, skin pale and hair dark. Longshot actually stopped shifting his food around, his eyes fixated on his plate. "That depends on what he does from here on out. Lefty's right, Yung too, but I probably wouldn't feel the same if I'd been able to carry her body to a proper grave."

Silence hung over them all for a moment.

"Well, here's the situation," began Appa, finishing up his plate. "The kid didn't actually put her to the sword. That was all Quil's doing and the men who were actually there. If he really did do it I don't think he would have helped us escape. He had to have known that was a risk in and of itself."

"I agree with Appa," said Tyyo, a sullen look on his face. He was one of the few whose childhood wasn't necessarily wrought with tragedies, having come from a big, poor, but happy family. "What good would it do? Growing up, my Pa once said that all revenge was good for was putting another grave in the ground. I have to say I agree. Quil's a special case considering what he does and what we do for a living, but still..."

Beside him, Imaru nodded. "And then there's the elephant in the room. Most of us aren't even thinking straight right now. We're all trying to get used to Nima not..." He paused for a moment, seemingly trying to gather the words from his throat. "Not being with us anymore."

Shaking his head, Skoochy snorted and got up from the table. "Yeah, well, I'm trying to get used to her being at the bottom of the ocean and not alive. So, sorry if I'm not exactly giving a damn about where he ends up. Elephant in the room is that he had some kind of part in it. Intentional or not."

Yung didn't try to stop Skoochy when he left. Since he refused to smoke the packs of cigarettes that Nima had last bought him - the only ones he actually had on him - he'd been very irritable in general.

Majority of the crew here were right in some way. On one hand, Danuma hadn't killed Nima. He hadn't put the sword through her body and let her bleed out. Hell, he even looked rather shocked, if for a moment, when he saw her body lying in the sand. Truly, Yung believed, he hadn't known. On the other hand, Skoochy was right even if his energy was misdirected. Danuma had been the one who tracked them down and had probably known _something,_ but did nothing about it. His neutral stance was still wrought with her death on his hands.

Thank God that Jinora, Kai and the twins took to their rooms to eat tonight. It gave him the chance to say what he needed to say to the rest of the men.

"Look, nobody's going to hurt the guy. Not even Skoochy and I'll make sure he knows that," Yung told them all. "Even Captain isn't putting a hand on him because there's one thing that matters most of all and it's the fact that hurting him, let's be honest, would just be us needing an outlet. Not only that, but it won't bring her back. Whatever hand he had in her death was unintentional. The _real_ enemy is Quil. _He_ killed her. And no amount of us taking it out the guy who helped us escape is going to get back at Quil or bring our niece back to life. And, frankly, Nima wouldn't have wanted us to hurt him. That should be reason enough for us all."

Nobody said anything more after that and the crew finished their meal in relative silence. Only two truths remained in the world for those moments: They would remember Nima and that her family remaining would need to support each other the best they could.

It was just unfortunate that it was hard to do that with perfectly justifiable rage in their hearts.

-:-:-:-

The days blurred together and Kai still didn't know how long it'd been Nima died.

During that entire time and now, still, he couldn't really breathe between her not being here anymore, Jinora's tears, Rama being angry with him and Taani having generally climbed into her shell.

He and Jinora were silent around each other more than anything. There were no words that needed to be said. Their daughter was gone and she was not coming back. The only thing that could comfort them right now was each other's presence.

Rama, on the other hand, purposefully avoided his father. That much was obvious. Kai didn't protest. He deserved it, frankly, because Rama was _right_. Nima's death was his fault. The fact of the matter was that she wouldn't have been out there had it not been for his own selfishness.

Taani ghosted around like normal, but the way she seemed to not be able to be social with anybody, even Rama, told Kai that she was still in the middle of handling it like the rest of them. He found himself wanting, trying to bring himself to reach out, but what if he did and then she crumbled? Just like everything else he seemed to care for?

That all being said, he needed to be alone anyway. As the ship move around him, the crew his family, everybody, the world stopped the fourth afternoon after Nima's death. Or, at least, it felt like the fourth afternoon. He wasn't sure and couldn't quite bring himself to care as much as he should.

Something brought him toward a crate he'd visited several times over the years. Lifting the top off, he immediately started to choke up and reached out toward one of the numerous children's toys that the kids had grown out of. Of course, a lot of them had been hand me downs and just about all of them had been Nima's at one point in time.

He pulled out a little kitten toy that she used to absolutely love. It was a furry thing, with big green eyes and he almost smiled remembering how she used to hug it in her sleep. They'd spoiled her as a baby and she'd been the only baby for about five years so there'd been a lot of room for her parents and twenty-six uncles to spoil her with toys and all the fluffy stuffed animals she wanted.

He put the cat toy down when another one caught his eye. It was a doll that Jinora and Kai had gotten for her on her fourth birthday. The doll was from a lovely toy store in Jietou and the toymaker had designed it to look specifically like her. It had her cat-like face, green eyes, fine brown thread for hair and was all clad in a cute orange little dress. Gods, he remembered how well she took care of it, always carrying it everywhere and it gave him an immense sense of pride and joy to see that. Jinora once mentioned that children often treated dolls as a reflection of themselves.

For the first time in his life, he felt his tears sliding his cheeks and he just let them go. He didn't have the _strength_ to stop them. Instead, he clutched the doll to his chest, his shoulders shaking from sobs racking his body and grasped the edge of the crate for strength. For but a moment, just a small moment in time, he pretended that the doll was his little girl here with him again.

" _I'm sorry_ ," he choked out, the tears falling from the tip of his nose and splashing onto the old kitten toy lying face up. " _I'm so sorry, please forgive me… God, I'm sorry…_ "

He'd never asked for forgiveness before. Not like this.

But just this time he let the walls come down. God knew he didn't deserve his daughter's forgiveness even from that blissful place she probably was now - far away from him - but he couldn't resist asking.

Just this time.

Just this one time.

-:-:-:-

It was gloomy on this ship to say the least and Dan did his _very best_ to ignore it.

He could feel their stares, their frowns and especially the hostility of that one guy - Skoochy was his name. But most of all Dan avoided Jinora Gyatso, the girl's mother. Most of all he couldn't stand her hollow stares and her tired eyes. He couldn't stand her quiet, dying voice and her sighs.

He just couldn't take it and did his absolute best to stay away from her.

The rest of the crew was as well as he expected. The redheaded man named Pabu seemed to try and make conversation with him, asking him about the places he'd been, where he came from and those kind of things. His husband - or lover. He didn't know - named Momo attempted to do the same thing albeit a bit chattier than he'd been able to handle. While Dan kind of appreciated the fact that at least a couple people didn't want to lop his head off on this ship he was trapped on, he also found it somewhat… awkward. Most of the time, he kept his answers to a few words and no more.

In reality, his entire existence on this ship was awkward considering his rather unwelcome position. Were they actually going to let him off the boat unharmed? Was someone going to eventually snap upon seeing him? Would someone try to kill him in the night?

These were the questions he had to consider and the reason why he kept a knife in his boot at all times.

All that being said, he found himself unable to turn away the youngest on the ship. The younger twin, Taani was her name, was small. She had a brown wavy bob for hair, light brown skin and the greyest eyes he'd ever seen. At first, he had to look at her for a moment to realize that she could indeed see. Nothing nobody ever did seemed to make her face move. At all. She remained in a perpetual state of neutrality it seemed, not feeling either way about anything. That's what he could see at least.

She did not look at him. To be honest, she didn't seem to look at most people.

And, Kuruk almighty, she was _quiet_. More than once she'd somehow appeared next to him to do this thing or that, showing up like a phantom, without so much as a footfall. It was slightly unnerving.

Still, he didn't feel threatened by her. Why should he? It wasn't because of her size that he judged her considering that her brother was a different story. Her brother, Rama, he remembered, was half Dan's size, but he swore the kid had half a mind to gut him as well the way he was when Dan came around him.

No, the girl seemed innocent enough. She was soft and something he couldn't see taking life or even harming it. He was comfortable enough around her and he couldn't help but let himself be for as long as it seemed alright. On the other hand, she was most certainly… different. Her behavior something he'd never quite seen before.

He didn't ask, however, and nobody seemed to think of it enough to tell him. Not that he expected them to.

Needless to say, he humored her presence when she sat next to him one evening as the sun went down, the rest of the crew gone downstairs for dinner and then bed. That meant he'd be shut back into the brig for the night. He'd eat whatever scraps they left behind, but right now he just wanted to be around fresh air before they shut him away.

Neither of them said anything and she didn't even seem to acknowledge him in all honesty. But he appreciated the mutual silence and savored it as the sun went down. It was a sense of peace he strangely craved these last few days.

Yeah.

Just a little bit of peace.

-:-:-:-

Jinora, quite frankly, didn't know up from down these days.

How the _hell_ was she just move on with her life after her first born had literally been gutted and then thrown away like she were nothing? How was she supposed to wrangle the emotions? How _could_ she?

She felt so out of place on the ship and even though it'd been less than a week it already felt like forever had passed since her little girl had slipped through the cracks so terribly. God, what had she done?

Why had she told Kai not to go look for her? Why didn't she-

No.

She shook her head, staring at the ceiling of the captain's quarters on the fourth night after Nima's death. Kai was still next to her and she was painfully aware that he wasn't asleep. Resting, but not asleep. Neither of them were finding sleep easy right about now.

It had to be past midnight when she felt Kai get up out of bed. He got up out of bed almost like it was the morning and she waited until he left the room before following silently behind him. She knew exactly where he was heading before he got there. Normally, he'd go to the crew's rooms first since they were closer, but this time he walked past the crew's quarters and down to an old storage room that wasn't exactly used for storage anymore.

Jinora stood at the doorway as Kai just kind of hovered in the middle of the the room, his back turned to her. She almost choked looking at the purple covers over the bed and the closet that was still open. Nobody had touched Nima's room since she died. Jinora wasn't sure anybody had even had the heart to go in there aside from herself and Kai.

Still, they hadn't gone in the _together_ since. Every night, Kai got up and every night he came back, a hint of a sniffle in the air. Jinora could still remember when they'd originally decided to make this room Nima's. Initially, they'd thought about putting her in the old cabin boy's quarters that had once been both herself and Kai's room at one point, but then when Kai mentioned he wasn't sure he wanted their first baby's room so far away from their own, Jinora found herself in agreement.

Then, Kai did something she wasn't sure she ever saw him do before. Approaching her bed, he knelt before it and just let himself cry, hand over his eyes and sobbing in a way Jinora knew was the healthiest thing he could do right now. In fact, she had half a mind to think that Yung purposefully wasn't landing anywhere. At least if Kai was in the middle of the ocean he couldn't go off and get into any fights. Even so, the act made Jinora suppress her own sob. He probably knew she was there, the entire time even, because he didn't flinch when she joined him, getting on her knees and leaning into him.

He leaned into her as well and they shared the warmth of their bodies and their tears. It was all they had in these moments when the world seemed to have fallen away from them. After some time, when their tears had dried and their sobs turned to sniffles, Kai slowly got up and walked out of the room, surely to check on the rest of the crew. He didn't say anything to Jinora and she didn't try to get him to talk. There was absolutely no need nor desire for anymore words. What else could be said that they didn't already understand? No, there was not a need for a single syllable there in the dark, a single beam of moonlight illuminating the room from the poorly closed window.

He knew that she understood.

-:-:-:-

Lefty always thought he'd be the first. He was old enough at this point.

He understood that life wasn't going to go exactly as one planned, but… gods. Why did it have to be his little niece? She'd only been _sixteen._ How had she deserved that?

She didn't. And Lefty knew the world didn't work that way. That was half the reason it was so blindingly frustrating. There'd been no meaning in her death, no way to avenge her with everything that was going on right now and how far away Quil was at the moment. No way to avenge her without one of them dying and even Lefty wasn't about to let that happen.

Revenge, as he'd found in all his years, did no one any good.

And Yung knew that, thank heaven. Then again, Yung had never been one to fall into despair quite so easily. He was always aware that there was a surface to the water. A source of light somewhere even when the depths were dark.

And, god, were they dark right now.

Yung, he knew, was keeping everyone else a float. It didn't miss Lefty's notice that Skoochy hadn't so much as picked up a cigarette since Nima died. Which, for Skoochy, meant he was probably trying to quit. The boy's eyes were red rimmed and his hands shaking majority of the time.

Daw was constantly in the kitchen, he found, making pastries halfway only to quit. Pabu was going through the photo albums more often than not. Imaru seemed try and keep close to Rama and Taani as much as he could, both for their sakes and his own. Momo was a general mess altogether and the entire crew was just completely out of whack to say the least. Lefty was finding that music wasn't quite as enjoyable as it had been only a few days ago because he kept thinking about how Nima might dance to each melody.

Then, there was Yung who he walked up on, bent over the desk Otaku usually worked used on deck. The moon was high, but Lefty didn't need the light because he could hear the sniffles and suppressed sobs even if Yung was turned away.

Lefty put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey"

Yung almost jumped, straightening out as he hastily wiped away his tears. "H-hey, Akash... shouldn't you be heading to bed?" he sniffed.

"Yeah, but I couldn't really sleep," said Lefty.

"Same," said Yung, clearing his throat. "Well, obviously. I'm nightwatch tonight anyway. I gave Momo the night off. He was..."

"Yeah, I know." Lefty nodded. "You want some company?"

Yung didn't answer for a moment, his eyes closed and his throat bobbing. Lefty could see where he was biting the inside his cheek, but the tears came anyway, leaking through his eyelashes. He began to shake his head, a tearful breath escaping his lips. "Gods, I should have _made_ Kai talk to her. Something. Anything."

"Yung, you couldn't have-"

"I could have, Akash, and you know it," he said firmly. "I've done it for him a thousand times and, yeah, this one was bad, but I still could have done it. One more time. Just one more damn time and she would have still been here. She… she died so horribly… you saw her body. She just..."

He did and he would never get that image out of his head so long as he lived.

Her eyes were the first thing he'd noticed. Just the state of their fear even after the light had gone. He knew what blood loss looked like as it was and it didn't take a genius to see that she'd bled out fairly quickly. Yet, not quick enough to make it merciful. She hadn't deserved that. More than likely, she'd long realized she was dying before the last of her life finally slipped away from her.

And, Kuruk almighty... she had _done nothing_ to deserve _that_.

"It wasn't you're fault," Lefty said softly. "But I know. I know it hurts. I'm hurtin' over here too. So, you're not alone. But Kai needs you now more than ever. The twins needs you. Jinora needs you. This whole damn crew needs you. Understand?"

Yung sighed through his nose and nodded.

"I know…" he said weakly. "It just hurts…"

"It hurts me too. Cause I could have said something as well. Gotten more involved, y'know?"

Yung shook his head. "Guess we'll just be playing the blame game with ourselves for a while, huh?"

"Yeah…" Lefty clapped him on the shoulder lightly. "Here, I'll keep you company. I probably won't sleep very well anyway."

* * *

This chapter I actually made myself cry, I'll be bold enough to say. A lot more grief in this chapter. It's a bit more of a transitionary chapter, but I really wanted to take a minute and let the impact this has on the crew sink in. All of it, even Dan's presence and whatever part he played. Next chapter, however, is going to get a lot more exciting.

As always, you guys know I would really love it if you would leave a review! This story hasn't gotten a whole lot of feedback and I really feel like it's some of my best work. So, if you could leave some feedback it would really mean a whole lot! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	9. Debts Owed

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 ** **Debts Owed  
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Taani was small, inconspicuous and easy to forget. Not that anybody wanted to forget her, she knew, but she was quieter than even their ships cat, Mouse, who mewed at every chance, and she usually let herself slip into a wallflower. She didn't have much to say nor was it easy to ever get what she wanted to say across most times. It wasn't like her face _wouldn't_ smile or frown or her eyebrows move like everybody else. It was just… it never occurred for her to cry when she was sad.

She knew that crying was normal. Good even. And that was the worst part. Crying made everybody else feel better and let the feelings spill on out, but for Taani that had never been something totally possible without her getting hit in the nose just right on accident. Her eyes were agonizingly dry and she envied the people who had some kind of physical thing their body did to let all the feelings out.

But right now she was okay enough she told herself.

It was fine here where nobody would bother her as she tried to get used to the feeling of the ship without Nima. Her lack of skirting around the ship seemed to leave it devoid of a little light. Surely, the sun still shined overhead and the waves reflected it's light against the cerulean of its waters as it did most days, but it was almost like it shouldn't be shining. Like everything deserved to be rained upon now that she wasn't here…

And would never be coming back.

Taani stroked their cat, nuzzled into her lap. Mouse seemed to mope even around the ship. She didn't seem to be up for anything except live in Taani's arms these past few days. It was like she knew one of her favorite humans was gone from this world.

Sitting on the floor in her room, Taani felt each piece fall away bit by bit. There were a lot of things there that Nima had gotten her. Her older sister loved to give her little trinkets, had bought a soft special pillow with the characters of her name engraved on it and things of the like. Little stuff.

One thing Taani had always loved were the flowers Nima brought back on her trips out into town. Sometimes she just found them, sometimes she bought them from flower shops, but they were always picked out lovingly. Always something new to press into her books.

And now Nima was _gone_.

The ship was impossible to be on nowadays. _How was she supposed to live on it without Nima? How did anybody live on it?_

A cord in her chest tightened again like it did every time she thought of Nima and, as gently as she could, she shuffled Mouse off her lap and walked to her bookshelf. Her hand touched the spine of a pastel purple leather bound journal and she took her time taking it out of it's slot. The pages weren't that old, but they smelled distinctly like aged parchment and a soft scent of flora permeated the paper. Each flower was one Nima had brought back to her. She flipped open to the first page. A blue lotus rose. Special from the region near Baoshi Harbor in the spring. It's petals were long, round and numerous. Her Uncle Imaru had shown her them many times before, but they were still beautiful each time, the royal azure of the petals perfectly spiraled into a lovingly cushioned shape when in full bloom.

The next flower was a simple tulip. Still, this one had been the prettiest red she'd ever seen, streaking colors of orange in the middle. Nima told her that a really nice witch in Jietou sold her one for a hefty sum, but she'd said it was worth it to bring it home to Taani.

Taani flipped to the last page… the _last_ flower her sister ever got her before she…

Then, there was the terrible, terrible desire to cry, but the gods unfair inability to produce tears in moments like these…

Taani stared down at the gorgeous pale orange moon blossoms. It was such a simple flower, found only in the Fire Nation during the dying spring season before they gave way for the redder flowers of their nation state, but this one had always caught her eye. This particular one must have odd parent flowers that produced it for it was a rare thing, but a moon blossom clear and through. The petals were small, two layers of five, the outside layer bigger than the one inside of it.

Nima had come home with them, almost breathless because she was so excited to show Taani. So excited that she'd gotten something so rare for her baby sister to marvel at and cherish like some people cherished gold and silver.

Now, that was _gone_. _All of it gone because Nima was dead. Why did she have to die? Why didn't anybody help her or go find her? Why did the people who hurt her do that to her?_

Taani didn't understand.

I don't want her to be gone, she thought. Not forever. Not this long.

Then, the cord tightened so hard that it felt like it was physically hurting her.

 _Why did they do that to her?_

She hadn't seen the body, but she'd heard enough from walking around the ship and listening to her uncles talk about it. Captain Quil had stabbed her and let her bleed out. God, she couldn't even understand how that might have felt. She prayed that Qilaq would bring her somewhere where she didn't have to be hurt or be scared and just be happy.

 _But still_.

Taani begged her body to cry. Just this once.

 _Why did they have to kill her? Why did he have to make it so bad? She didn't deserve that!_

Taani blinked and then blinked again. Nothing. No tears. Not even a single drop or the stinging sensation when your eyes were welling up.

 _It wasn't fair. Why couldn't she cry?_

 _Why couldn't she just cry one little bit for her dead sister that wasn't ever going to come back-_

Mouse scattered out of the way as Taani strode toward the door, feet thumping far louder than she ever waked like and yanked the door open, leaving it ajar for all she knew. The world was blank. Everything was blank as the pieces crumbled to smithereens.

-:-:-:-

Dan had to admit that he was actually really okay with the man named Nukko asking if he wanted he wanted to help secure the ropes all around the ship. It was a small task, but one nonetheless. He was just about to go insane from nothing to do. Perhaps Nukko would give him a few other things to do should he-

The door to below deck burst open so loud that Dan's hand flew to his dagger. He almost relaxed when he saw it was just Taani, but he had to do a double take at her. A book clutched tightly to her chest, her body language was jerky, erratic even. Far less automatic and smooth like the girl he'd witnessed for the past few days. Apparently, this was not normal as Nukko too was staring.

Dan glanced around. So were the other crew members near her.

When a coil of rope in the middle of the ground made her stumble, she abruptly kicked it away, leaving it splayed on the ground as she stomped to some aimless destination. No, this was definitely not normal.

"Hey, kiddo…" Pabu approached her carefully, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "You feeling-"

She shoved him hard and started to run, turning and fleeing to a new direction when she ran into somebody else or into the gunwales of the ship that kept her from heading straight into the ocean. It was like she was trying to get away and there was nowhere to get away too.

Nukko broke away from their spot, joining the rest of the crew on deck to cautiously approach Taani, seemingly trying to prevent her from hurting herself on something.

"Skooch! Go downstairs and get Cap and Jinora," ordered Lefty, but Skoochy was already gone before he finished his sentence. Within minutes, he and her parents had rushed upstairs, witnessing the frantic mess that was their youngest child.

Taani was now erratically pacing, jerking into a new direction when she was stopped by some barrier be it living or not. Her face was blank as always, but Dan could see the tight of her jaw and was almost certain that the rest of her body was wounded just as securely.

Coming down from the rope grid leading to the crow's nest was the boy, Rama. His long ponytail trailing down his back in the breeze, he dropped down when it was safe and pushed his way toward the center of the circle the crew had formed to keep her in a safe enough area. This barrier seemed to only agitate her more though and Rama was the only one brave enough to get close to her.

"Taani, tell me what's wrong," he said slowly, not following her, but rather, standing in one place. "Show me. Anything. Let us help you."

"She's hasn't had one of these in a long time," Nukko said to Dan in Nerrivik, a specific dialogue of the languages spoken in the Northern Water Tribe. They'd found that they both spoke the language and, he had to admit, it made him more comfortable knowing he was among some form of fellow brethren. "Whatever you do, don't touch her. It'll make it worse."

Dan nodded, his eyes fixated on the girl marching back and forth like her life depended on it. She didn't look frantic, but all the signs were there. Rama still continued to talk to her slowly, his sentences becoming shorter.

"Let me help," he said.

"Rama, don't agitate her," Kai told him from behind, his eyes following Taani.

Rama growled. "Yeah, no shit."

The captain didn't seem to hear him and if he did, he ignored the comment. There was no doubt that something was definitely wrong, but looking at her, Dan wondered what kind of mayhem was going on in her head that made it come out like _this_.

By wave of natural human movement, the circle had closed in and she seemed to detect the gradual lack of space, letting out a kind of whimper and dived for the only space still accessible: the desk. Underneath the desk she dove and he could hear the audible slam of where she probably hit her head. After that there was a _lot_ of slamming and he almost stepped forward when he saw her hit her face on the floor, disturbing the entire desk in general.

"No, baby, don't do that, please." Her mother dropped to her knees, gently yet firmly physically restraining her, but Taani pushed her away and out of her space.

Now, she was letting out whines. An eerie humming like whine that sounded like an almost scream. There was _something_ internal about the noise that made his insides twinge. Whatever it was, he couldn't ignore it.

Taani didn't hit her head on the floor anymore, but she continue to let out that noise. Rama got onto the floor, far away enough that she wouldn't feel like he was smothering her probably. At least, that was how Dan understood it. All her actions told him she just wanted some space. Somewhere to breath.

"You can tell me what's wrong," Rama said gently. "Is that okay?"

She brashly chucked out a book from under the desk. It was the book she'd been holding, pastel purple in color. The book landed a few feet directly across from her and, as it so happened, right at Dan's feet.

Something about the book made him hesitant to pick it up. It _looked_ intimate from the color to the binding to the slight worn manner of the leather where finger impressions were still at. She'd been holding it very tight. Tight like it was a lifeline and if she let it go then there would be nothing.

She felt suffocated right now… probably. He was only guessing, of course.

Reluctantly bending over to pick up the book, he sifted through it's pages a few at a time. Flowers. All different types of flowers pressed into the pages and at the very end of it there was some writing scribbled onto the last page-

 _To, Taani_

 _Happy Birthday to you cutie pie! Just remember that none of these flowers are prettier than you, okay?_

 _Love, Nima_

His throat absolutely constricted.

All of his will began turning to dust right at that very moment. He had a firm feeling in his gut that all that quiet from her wasn't exactly voluntary. How hard must it be to want to show the world what was going on inside, but simple be resoundly unable to?

He had an idea.

Perhaps that was why he was completely unbothered by her despite her unusual behaviors. They were some of his own, after all.

What did she want to say? Show? Was this her own reaction to grief?

He didn't know, yet he did all the same. Everybody else he could shut out, but gods above, something would just _not_ let him suffocate this. He couldn't bring himself to _not_ feel something. He wasn't sure he exactly had ever foreseen himself ever being that person to such an extent.

Try as he might, Dan couldn't drown out the emotions in each page. Each flower was like a piece of intertwined sisterly souls. It refused to bow to his attempts at apathy when he realized that each page beheld some memory. He shouldn't be holding this book. It wasn't his to touch, but it was the least he could deliver back to her.

Maybe he was going crazy, but the book burned at his touch, his palm warm as he held it. He should be forbidden to touch this.

He walked forward, past Rama and could hear somebody behind him ready to protest, but somebody else - Pabu it sounded like - hushed them. Resting on one knee, he was directly in front of the desk, so close he could touch his forehead to the wood.

He took a breath.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly and found himself closing his eyes. "I didn't know they would hurt her. I… I just didn't ask. Maybe a part of me had a clue…" He shook his head. "I don't know. I don't really know anything except that I should have asked. If I had then I could have stopped it. I didn't know… but I'm still sorry."

It was a poor apology. Damn it all, he wasn't accustomed to them, but he'd played a part in whatever this girl was going through. Slowly he held the book out for her. She grasped it tightly but didn't quite pull it away as her whining died down and just held the book. Something told him that she didn't want him to let it go.

The book trembled from her white knuckled grip on it, but he dared not let go. There was agony and sorrow in each vibration. For sure some lack of understanding. Fear even. And all of it was wounded tight behind this display of frustration and, ultimately, a loss of control.

Her world didn't make sense anymore and he'd played a part in it shattering.

He swallowed hard and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Looking directly at her, her nose was red. Not broken, but red from when she'd slammed her face into the floor and… tears streaking down her cheeks. Surely from when her nose had collided with wood.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered again, quieter this time.

He finally let go of the book and she took it, bringing it back to the safe spot against her chest where no one would take it away from her anymore. After that, she seemed to calm down, but even when he backed off and the rest of the crew slowly went back to what they were doing, she still remained under there.

Her mother, father and brother all remained near the desk, idly hanging around the spot. Her father was overlooking something on the desk, her brother leaned against the side of the ship overlooking the sea while her mother still knelt on the ground, patiently waiting for when Taani would be ready to come out.

After some time, Dan glanced over from where he was helping Nukko fix something on the steering wheel and was relieved to find Taani had crawled out just enough to lay her head in her mother's lap. It wasn't too much longer until her father finally decided to bend over and pick her up in his arms to carry her downstairs, surely for a nap. She seemed so exhausted.

As for himself, Dan didn't look at anybody, he didn't talk to anybody either. Still, he felt lighter. Just a little bit. Not good exactly since he'd kind of been apart of why she ended up like that, but the air around him didn't feel like it was reaching out to cut into his neck.

A few people seemed to be slightly more willing to talk to him too. Nods and words of acknowledgement here and there. They were tolerating him better. Even the one named Skoochy gave him a slight nod as he passed him by.

Frankly, he wasn't sure what to make of it or what to do with it. This was totally out of his comfort zone.

-:-:-:-

Gods, it was _cold_.

And where the _hell_ was she?

She was in some kind of… swirling bubble _thing_ and, Qilaq help her, was she _underwater?_

She'd done enough swimming to know the cerulean of the ocean and it's depths, the only thing keeping her from being _too_ petrified and ready to pee on herself being the light of day reaching down from the surface.

Still, there she stood in a bubble stationary to it all, full of _air_ for her to breathe, her abdomen aching and her lungs feeling as if they'd been flushed out. Her whole body really. She felt light for some reason, like something had been weighing her down only moments before, but for the life of her she didn't know _what._

Not until it hit her.

A rush of memories came back: her running off, being captured in a net and Captain Quil's cruel, triumphant eyes as he looked down at her. She almost gagged, the phantom feeling of being choked summoned when she recalled the pain of him impaling her with his sword and the blood that roiled out of her throat in response. Now, her belly churned again. But that was when she looked down at her dress-

 _Qilaq, Kuruk and Meishenme…_

She was _covered_ in blood. More blood than she'd ever had the dismay to deal with in her entire life. At least, all at _once_. It covered her brown and gold skirts, reaching down, down and down… it had to have been her own blood. Had to. But then, then if that was the case…

How was it possible to pass out from that kind of blood loss? A chill rattled her spine at the hidden answer underneath and damn near played it like a piano when a dark, silky twirl caught the corner of her eye.

She turned and looked just up to a _woman_ whirling into existence. She was smoke and darkness. Darkness, that is, in the darkness of her long, unbound hair swirling around her. The rest of her was pale in comparison. Pale skin, a long white flowing dress where - Nima almost yelped. Holy shit, where the unwordly _fuck_ where her legs? There were whirls of smoke where the ends of her dress should have been and when Nima looked up, molten colored eyes stared back at her. Moon white hands steepled under her chin, her whole body loftily graceful and leaning forward languishly against some invisible support. Yet, she was very still as she stared.

The woman smiled at her and Nima could only stare back, frozen inside and out.

After a minute of the women eyeing her like a predator waiting for it's prey to move before being devoured, Nima somehow managed to find some voice in her.

"...hi," was all she managed to say.

The woman's molten eyes glinted and she grinned, showing white teeth behind faintly colored lips. She would have been thought beautiful were she not scaring the living demons out of Nima. Her skin was flawless, her face curved perfectly and she had an unnatural alluring air about her that made you _keep_ staring even if all the hairs on the back of your end stood pin straight as you did.

"Hello, my dear,," the woman purred. "You've patched up perfectly. How splendid."

Nima didn't say anything and the woman raised her eyebrows just slightly, as if amused by the silence.

"Is it not?"

Nima nodded this time. At whatever it meant. "...what's…?" She looked around to finish her sentence. Did she even need to say it?

"You are in a bubble underneath the sea as I'm sure you've noticed. What do you think this is?" asked the woman.

Nima swallowed, the distinct flavor of sea water overwhelming her taste buds. Even her throat felt a bit raw, like salt had been rubbed against it.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly.

" _I_ am Tianmei."

Nima flinched, taking a step back when Tianmei crawled through the air like a whirl of mist and motion. Her feet seemed to be in use… wherever they were, as she floated around in an invisible saunter, her eyes never changing focus.

"Do you know who you are?" asked Tianmei

Nima nodded. "My name's Ni-"

"I asked if _you_ know who you were. Not if I did. Oh, I know exactly who you are, daughter of such famous names. Captain Kai of the Waterbender. My, my he is an infamous one. Pirate Lord of the Amaterasu Sea." Tianmei's eyes rolled in thoughtful amusement. " _And_ you're a Gyatso. Through your prestigious mother. Well, look at you, pirate princess. You do look quite like Lady Jinora."

It wasn't even a little bit surprising that she knew who Nima's parents were. Most people knew who they were and she'd grown up with it being that way. By turn, they'd also memorized her fairly well. But, the way Tianmei talked about them set her teeth on edge. Unsettling, to say the least.

Strolling around Nima, the woman surveyed her and showed her teeth, apparently delighted or bemused at whatever she'd evaluated.

"So, you are The Wave Dancer. Nima Gyatso." Tianmei licked her canines as if to taste Nima's name on them. "You have many names, girl. The Wave Dancer. The Wind on the Waves. Pearl on the High Seas. By sea and sky, I've even heard such titles as The Dancing Siren…"

"What's all this about?" Nima asked in a small voice. A dangerous question, perhaps, but the chill on her spine wasn't ceasing. Just going up and down and up. She shivered when those eyes seemed no less satisfied.

"In a phrase? Your life." Tianmei came back around and was moving through the air again like a current. She settled back into a comfortable position, fingers steepled under her chin again. "In another, and most befittingly, your death."

Nima's stomach dropped, but before she could muster up a voice to say anything, Tianmei went on.

"Oh, _I_ won't be killing you," she shook her head. "Not again, anyway. You have nothing to worry about that."

Again…?

"...what do you mean _again_...?" Nima asked so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Somehow, deep down, she knew the answer as Captain Quil's grinning face flashed in the back of her mind.

Tianmei's smile grew, ear to ear with such eerie satisfaction. An apex with their prey caught. There was a silent answer on those lips, smiling so wide as if to say, _what do you think?_

Nima looked down at herself again. The blood. All the blood. She'd been wondering how she could have survived that blood loss if it'd really been from her injury from Quil's sword. He'd stabbed her clean through. That much she _knew_.

And yet there was no stab wound she realized. None that she could truly feel anyway. Where did it…?

Unless…

Her breath shallowed.

Unless she _hadn't_ survived.

She remembered a terror kind of euphoria where her body had flooded with something foreign. A peace unbound rushing through terror and pain and horror and sorrow. Her hearing had gone. Her sense of smell. Even the _taste_ of the iron from her own blood coming out of her mouth had eventually failed her. Finally, _everything_ stopped and she felt like after that, there'd been some invisible journey. Mist was all she remembered. Well, she couldn't remember it, but _somehow_ knew it was there. She wasn't even sure if it'd been mist, but she went somewhere after that. Somewhere where something had chained her down and wouldn't let her get through it.

Perhaps that's why she'd never considered the fact that she _didn't_ survive. It wasn't like that would have been anybody's first thought, she just-

There must have been a horrified expression on her face because Tianmei spoke again, "Oh, don't worry, you're not dead _anymore_. I fixed that."

"What do you mean you _fixed_ it?" Nima actually took several steps back, still not processing the first part. "T-there was nothing to fix!"

"You know that's not true. Just accept it so we can move onto the fun part here," Tianmei purred. "You were dead. You died. I'm sure you already know who killed you. They dumped your body in the ocean after parading it in front of your entire family."

 _Her family?_

"Where are they?" Nima took several steps forward now. "What do you mean they paraded my b- me in front of them? Why? Did they capture them? Are they okay?"

Tianmei snorted. "My god, so many questions."

" _Are they okay?_ "

"You just found out that you _died_ and the first-"

" _Tell me_." Nima fixed her with a stare that _felt_ as desperate as it probably looked.

Tianmei stared at her for a moment, amusement flickering away just for that second, and sighed.

"They are fine. Sailing away and all that." Nima let out a breath of relief despite her other questions, but that was the most important one. Before she could say anything, Tianmei continued. "Now then, you died. Got that?"

"...kind of."

"You died. Heart stopped beating, no air, brain shut down. All that. Do you got that?"

As disturbing as it was, Nima nodded, realizing that her hands were trembling now.

"But… you said you fixed that…? How?"

 _Why?_

Tianmei seemed to be inspecting her nails as she answered the question. "It's a long story. Lots of spells. Most of them to get rid of all that water in your body and healing you to spic span condition. Like you'd never been stabbed before in your life. The actual bringing back to life part only required time and a little bit of your blood to start the process. Oh, you won't believe how easy it is when the subject in question _stole from me_."

There was a wicked gleam in her eye as she stretched out that last part.

 _Stole from me_.

Nima frowned, but her hands went limp against her sides. "I've never-"

"You're a terrible liar. Fret not, my dear. For you also gave it back to me. Though, I did count and not _all_ of it had come back to me. You actually met the conditions for a delicious bit of magic, did you know?"

Gave it back.

 _Gave it back_.

And suddenly, as if Tianmei was reading her mind - Nima was wondering if she actually was now - those molten eyes were suddenly no longer framed by youthful pale female flesh. The skin shifted, drooping with age and lined, heavily crows feete around the eyes and in a terrifying display-

There was the scraggly face of the old man from Yuanjiatan.

Nima was too stunned to move. Say anything. Too stunned to do anything but stared with an 'O' for a mouth.

The skin shifted again and there was the beautiful face of Tianmei again, staring back with a sinister satiation.

Silence hung in the air, but a question from Tianmei was behind those striking, molten colored eyes. A question Nima couldn't stop herself from answering even if she tried.

"You were the old man…"

"I was both. I was strolling through the streets of Yun Ho when my money purse was so _irritatingly_ snatched from my person. A nifty little tracking spell I got on you before you went to that precious ship of yours. Very strong. And you only made it stronger when I did not get _all_ of my possessions. There was quite a bit of money missing from there…" Tianmei's mouth tightened, but not quite from smiling. "But, see, that's the beauty of the Retribution spell. It's a handy bit of powerful magic that binds your body, heartbeat, your very soul to me until I get a hold of you or you right the wrong. That'd be the retribution part. And it was _incredibly_ useful in keeping you from crossing to the other side for judgement. Of course, I'd been wondering why I'd stopped being able to detect you. Even my tracking spells can't track _just_ a soul. Once your body died, there was like this invisible connection I had to just guess was there. Something I couldn't see, taste, touch or sense in any way, but I knew it was there. Your specific actions only made the resurrection process easier if we're being honest."

 _And now you're trapped in my web_ , seemed to be the next thing she wanted to say.

"You're a witch…" Nima breathed.

"I'm glad that you noticed," quipped Tianmei. "In short, due to the particular spell I used on you, you wronged me, righted the wrong, but did not _completely_ right the wrong and because of that, your immortal soul was still bound to me. That allowed me to easily bring you back to life with a few simple spells that just needed your blood to give your body a jump start with the whole "soul homecoming" process, if you will. Think of it like an anchor being reeled back in."

Gods. _Gods_. She'd _died_. Literally _died_ and been brought back to life by some kind of witch that she'd never heard of so powerful and just- _How?_

Again, _why?_

"...how long have I been…?" asked Nima, her eyes still wide.

Tianmei shrugged. "Just less than a week. I found you about two days ago. The spells I mentioned have been busy healing you since then. That is, your body was preparing itself to be alive again. The ocean helped though. Kept you out of the sun-"

"Okay, okay. I get it," Nima shuddered so hard it almost hurt.

"Don't be too creeped out. The spell I had on you was keeping you from actually doing any decomposing. The second your body died, my magic took over and froze you at that state. For safekeeping. Retribution doesn't have to stop at the living after all. You weren't going to start decomposing until I severed your soul from me. Hell, even the sea life and the bacteria were avoiding you. See, fishies don't like that kind of magic I think." Tianmei chuckled. "So, there wasn't any actual _recomposing_ to do as there was flushing you of all that damned water and your gaping wound. And making more blood, of course. Really, it was like you went swimming for a long time. With all of that on your side, you're an extremely luck girl."

" _Lucky?_ " Nima finally blurted. "I _died_. How is that lucky?"

"Because all the conditions were perfectly met for you to come back without really any problems. Soul was bound to a witch who is strong enough to bring you back. Your body faced no decomposing whatsoever. All you really did was stop breathing and well, only died."

"Oh, _only_ died. I _only_ died. My heart and brain and lungs and everything else _only_ stopped working, but thank _god_ your magic kept me from anything after that."

Tianmei narrowed her eyes. "You should be grateful. Had my magic not been present, a shark could have come by and bit your head off. Then, you would have been beyond even my help. Shall I kill you again? And this time, leave you to _actually_ rot? Since, as I have told you, you hadn't rotted even a minute because of _my_ magic, _little girl_. So, I advise you to _watch who you are speaking to_."

Nima promptly shut her mouth.

This couldn't be happening.

This had to be a nightmare.

She couldn't have _died_ and come back to life. Out of some meager hope, she pinched herself to see if this was indeed some kind of dream. But here she was, standing inside a giant bubble under the sea, a witch with smoke for legs pinning with a stare that could have broken mountains.

"So, I'm… I'm okay now… alive...?"

"As far as your body is concerned, it never happened."

Nima felt her face, her torso, even her legs… all warm. All felt fine. If she hadn't been told that she died, well, she wouldn't have even known. She'd have to get used to the idea… or better yet, _forget_ it. After-

"What… what's the catch?"

Tianmei's amusement was endless. Of course, there was a catch to this. Most witches, well, most _people_ of her temperament wouldn't probably go through all that trouble for someone who hadn't returned a few measly coins. Gold or not. She either held a mighty grudge or she wanted something. Even then, if she was just holding a mighty grudge then why not leave her soul in limbo or wherever she'd been in that mist...? At least, that's how Nima understood it worked, but she could be wrong.

After all, she was still trying to completely wrap her heads around dying. Or not. She wasn't sure.

There was a sigh. Of content. Or triumph. Nima didn't know. "Do you know how long it's been since someone has managed to successfully steal from me like that?"

Nima met her with silence.

"Over sixty years."

Nima startled, blinking up at the witch. Witch she may be, but, as far as Nima knew, they were mortal. Very much mortal and Tianmei didn't look a day older than her mid twenties at most. Then again, maybe she was using something to make herself look young…?

"You really don't look that old."

A glint in the witch's eye.

"Another story for another day." She smirked, looking her nose down at Nima. "But back to my point, it has been over _sixty years_ since I've had anything successfully stolen from me. Oh, don't get me wrong, many have tried. But nobody's ever done it and then got away. Normally, their hand doesn't get even an inch away before I'm ready to snatch it off. You on the other hand... that was a lovely bit of sleight of hand and great timing. Your father taught you that I'm sure. Useful skills you have, you pirates. And you're small, but pretty. Lovely body, too. Even when people see you they don't think you're a threat. Don't get me wrong, I don't either, but you have enough slickness in you to be useful. Of course, and my favorite part, there's also the fact that you are completely under my thumb and in my debt, are you not?" A relishing grin. She was enjoying the power. Nima shuddered. Much like somebody else she knew. "And, so, I'm here to make a deal."

* * *

Ta-da!

I'm sure most of you by now knew something of this nature was coming up. This is where a lot of the mythology parts of this fic start up. It's going to be fun, but writing Tianmei was also lots of fun here just to start. Tianmei has her own secrets and he own agenda and Nima, as it stands now, is a part of that. I won't reveal too much because next chapter is when Tianmei shows some of her hand.

This fic hasn't gotten much interest and I do, admittedly, feel like it's some of my best work. Every word really means a lot and I would absolutely love to hear feedback even if it's just to point something out! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	10. A Deal with a Devil

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **A Deal with a Devil  
****

* * *

Nima's breath hitched.

A deal.

She'd been a pirate for sixteen years and after those sixteen years, short as they seemed to however old Tianmei was, she knew her way around deals too intimately. The bargains that pirates struck had a tendency to be corrupt, unfair even, but deals nonetheless. Her father had made them many a time for supplies, passage through territory, even parlay when they were outmatched by a bigger fish.

Nima herself dealt with the nature of bargaining. Sometimes taverns wanted to hire her as entertainment when they heard she was in town. They'd come to the ship in humble posture and greedy eyes and Nima would make them pay for their hunger, holding out her palm for literal coin. Her father, always hating that side of her dancing, made sure they paid very well seeing as he was going to have to "dispatch some of his crew for protection" the night thereof.

Yes, she was very familiar with deals which was why she knew that this wasn't just going to be some throwaway favor. Why bring a girl back to life unless you needed her for something important?

"Tell me." Tianmei interrupted her thoughts. "Do you know the story of the eight goddesses and their gifts?"

Nima nodded.

"Recite it to me."

As a child, her mother used to tell her that tale as a bedtime story when the waves were too calm and wouldn't rock her to sleep. So, reluctantly, Nima told it the way she did. "Well, I…" She swallowed hard. "At the dawn of time, Kuruk was the King of the Gods. He had a wife and seven daughters. None of the daughters came from his barren wife, but he loved each of them dearly. To show his love, he gave each of them a gift. Gifts each fit for their might and beauty and greatness." Nima felt the tale unravel itself and roll off her tongue, no longer an effort to tell the story. She knew it by heart and felt her mother's heart mercifully close when she said it. "Meishenme, Kuruk's barren wife, was given a loom where she could weave all of life, any life, to her heart's content. It's why there are waves and tides. When she is spinning, the waves crash and flow. When she is not, they are calm. Canyue, the youngest of the sisters and goddess of the moon, was given a hearth of white flames to warm her in the night and where she can craft stars in her idleness. That's why the moon glows. Qilaq, the second youngest, was given a beautiful mirror that breaks any illusion. She uses this mirror to help judge the souls that come to her and so that they may also understand her judgement. However, as a kind goddess, she broke off a shard of the mirror and threw it from the heavens for man to find so that we may better ourselves before our time comes."

"Tie Sanjiao was rightfully given a whip for her to rule in hell. She reserves it for only the most wicked. The true, unremorseful monsters of man that have no chance at redemption. Like Qilaq, she stripped a thread of leather tail from the whip and hurled it down to earth so the wronged may seek their own retribution. Older than her and known for her unrivaled beauty, Wujin was given a veil made of moonbeams as long and endless as all the seas combined. In an act of benevolence towards the world, she severed a piece of the veil and wove it's threads into the waves. That's why the sea shimmers. After her was Amaterasu. She was given a torch made from the flames of the sun. A fire that would never go out. As a warning to all life, she lit the mountains and filled them with fire so that we may never forget our place in the world. The second oldest sister was Bei Xian who devoured her brother, Xian, in the womb and emerged the sole born child. She was given a trident that could bend the will of any creature on earth, land or sea."

When she stopped, Tianmei raised her brows and gestured for Nima to go on.

She'd only stopped because her throat was tired after talking so much. Still, she cleared her voice and went on.

"Finally, there was Kinguyakki, the oldest sister. She was given a mighty sword made from the fangs of a kraken and claws of a dragon. A symbol of her dominion over sea and sky. She used the sword to cut the land apart, creating the four nations. After that, she also used it to wage war on the primordial gods, brothers of Kuruk who sought the power of him and her sisters. She defeated them, and cast them into the core of the earth where they would be imprisoned for all eternity. With peace restored to the cosmos and her superiority proven, she no longer saw a use for the sword among gods. As a result, Kinguyakki shattered the sword into several pieces and scattered these pieces across the globe, ensuring that no other - mortal or god - may use it against her."

After such a long story, Nima loosed a breath. How had her mother told her that story so many times and not gotten tired herself just saying it?

"And the last bit of the tale? Or shall I divulge that? The conquerer part?"

"What?"

Tianmei sighed, almost rolling her eyes. "Honestly." She cleared her pretty white throat and smiled again. "It is also said that whoever joins the sword back together shall obtain power to make them a conqueror of men. This, my dear, is where you come in."

Nima paused, then blinked.

"...me? But I don't want to be a conqueror of men…?"

"Not _you_. Well, yes you. You're going to get it _for me_."

Nima's mouth fell open.

" _M-me?_ " she sputtered. "Why me? You're the witch! Can't you do it yourself?"

"Why, of course I can, but are you really in a position to refuse me?" Tianmei grinned. "You're a girl who I brought back to life and, well, that means you belong to me. Think of your life as if it's a house. You were forcibly kicked out by someone. Then, I come in and allow you to live in it, but the house still belongs to me and you play by my rules or I'll kick you out too. I have the deed to your life, my dear. You literally owe me for it. And you may only be allowed to keep it under certain conditions."

Nima nearly whimpered, but still stood her ground. "But why _me?_ I don't understand what I can possibly provide to help you…"

"Your circumstances are very unique, simply put. Unique in a way that happens only when stars align if you may. You see, my dear…" Tianmei's gaze focused hard on Nima. "You literally cannot refuse me. Should you be foolish enough to do so, then, you'll die. Again. You are bound between the lines of life and death by magic far more ancient than all the kingdoms of the earth and just as forbidden I'm sure in some contexts. Yet, you are still very much alive. Complicated pieces of work, but, in a phrase, you must take my deal if you wish to continue living. Refusing me will break the chain of life and that only leaves death to reel you back in. Take my deal and successfully fulfill it, then and only then will the chain of death be broken, leaving you completely free to live your life as if you never died in the first place. You can almost consider what we're doing right now a proposal."

Nima nearly dropped to her knees. So… her life was on probation? She had to _buy back_ her own _life?_ Her stomach clenched uncomfortably when Tianmei mentioned dying again. Would she bleed out again? Would her wounds reopen and the blood start-

She couldn't even think of it as the overriding feeling she'd felt of being utterly alone and helpless came back. This sea witch was making her bargain for her own right to continued breathing.

"I still don't understand why you chose me… why didn't you just let me die and then chose somebody who has a lot more skills that may be useful to you? I just got lucky. Why would you go use me instead of doing it yourself?" she breathed.

Tianmei shrugged. "Why should I put myself in danger when there's you to do all of that for me?"

Those amber eyes gleamed wickedly and Nima saw their single word answer.

Expendability.

And, that, was when Nima realized the simple fact that she was simply a hound dog. How many pieces could she find before she stopped being useful? Tianmei probably didn't even think she'd find them all. Just enough to make her work less hard.

Nima swallowed down the urge to vomit.

She wanted to tell Tianmei to just be done with it. Go and take her deal somewhere else and return from wherever she came. Let her go back to being not alive.

But she needed to know about her family. Were they safe? Were they okay?

And she chilled thinking about Captain's Quil's triumphant eyes at all the blood that had poured from her. Oh, gods, all that blood that had burned out of her body. She'd choked on it.

No, she couldn't. She couldn't even bring herself to _think_ about it because the fear had been so overriding. Every primal sense of survival had come alive, screaming for her to do something to save herself. Never expecting her to fail and let her own heart stop beating.

She couldn't.

"Now, my sweet." Tianmei's beamed like a cat ready to eat it's mouse. "I'd like to know your answer."

"Is the deal bound by blood?" Nima let a breath. "I have a few conditions of my own."

Tianmei raised her perfect, dark brows. "Oh, study do we? My, aren't we smart? Where did you pick that bit up?"

"Wild guess. Pirates make blood oaths all the time and it has to mean a lot more with magic, right? Plus, you said you used blood to bring me back. Figured it might mean something.

"Delightful girl." Tianmei hummed. "Oh, alright. I suppose I'll be generous to my little thief. What, pray tell, are these conditions of yours?"

Nima sighed through her nose. "First of all, you have to _keep your word_. If I complete your task, then you have to let me live. You won't have any hold over me anymore and I'll be allowed to live my life no strings attached." Tianmei nodded. Nima went on. "Secondly, you have to provide me with a trump card. Something I can use in case I fail or get stuck."

Tianmei's brows went high this time. She repeated, "A trump card."

Nima nodded. She'd never gone to go find any legendary weapons before, but even simple raids on other ships were prone to situations where life or death was in question. "Surely, someone as powerful as you can provide me with something to bail me out in case something happens."

"I'm impressed," Tianmei squinted at her, still smiling. "See, I knew I saw something in you... you really do have the mind of a pirate, don't you, girl? Your kind never engage unless they have some kind of advantage on their side."

Nima didn't respond and Tianmei sighed.

"Oh, alright, _very well_." She looked over Nima up and down, searching. Her eyes rested on Nima's feet. "That anklet. Give it to me."

Looking down, Nima had forgotten that she was wearing her Uncle Imaru's anklet still. In fact, she was both surprised and grateful that it hadn't been lost during her… misfortune. Nima frowned at her. "Why?"

Tianmei arched a brow. "Would you like your trump card or not? This is a _favor._ Not a god given right, after all."

After a moment, Nima hesitantly slipped the gold anklet off her foot, the single black jewel embedded dutifully on the band. When she finally handed it over, Tianmei spoke a long incantation of a foreign language Nima didn't recognize and handed it back after the anklet pulsed with smoking, colorful light just once. The witch nodded.

"There. Consider that your trump card. Enfusing spells with jewelry is an old beloved pastime of many witches. It's so handy."

"What does it do?" asked Nima, inspecting the anklet before carefully putting it back on her foot.

"Think of that anklet as a charm. A very powerful one, courtesy of my own personal might. The road to uniting the Kinguyakki's treasure is long and dangerous. Where others have tried, they have all, to my knowledge, died. You may also meet death yet again." Nima froze and Tianmei went on. "That anklet has a portion of my power with it. Like a skin of water if you will. Should you once again experience the supposed to be final note of life, this anklet will reverse it under certain conditions. First being, your head is on your body. Even I can't help you if you've been decapitated. Second being you dying in attempts to honor our deal. Third and finally, you have to have been killed by an outside force. If you end your life with the intention to die then the magic is void. If you die trying to escape me then the magic will not work. Death doesn't like being cheated and neither do I."

"See, this anklet is now an official negotiation between us and the magic binding our agreement will allow it to do all the things I've just done for you, but the catch is that it's all about timing and condition. When using this, you have one shot. That is to say, _you must be wearing it for it to work_. So, if you know what's good for you, you won't take it off. That being said, try very hard not to die. Magic likes to be interpretive sometimes. Especially strong stuff like this."

"How can you do all of this?" Nima felt a little sick listening to all of Tianmei's non-stop jabbering but she was curious. "I've never heard witches who can do all this stuff. Bringing people back to life… nobody can do that... can they?"

Her Uncle Lefty had always told her that while witches could be very scary and very powerful, they had rules to follow. After all, they were still only mortal. She was just about positive bringing people back to life willy nilly was among those things. Let alone being _powerful enough_ to perform such a feat. Something about this particular witch, however, seemed very off from the beginning. Right from the moment Nima laid her eyes on that trail of smoke where her legs should have been, something just seemed not necessarily wrong… but not right either.

Then again, maybe this was just among the many things she hadn't been told.

Tianmei looked at her nails, clearly pretending to be inspecting them. "You could call it my specialty. But I don't exactly owe you an explanation. If I told you I'd probably have to _actually_ kill you and you don't want that do you? That'd be just a little counterproductive."

Nima immediately shook her head.

"Good girl. Now, then, I don't have all day. Here is the official deal: You will search for all the sword pieces of Kinguyakki's sword. Once I properly claim my prize, you will have all that you have asked for. You may live and will no longer be magically binded to me. If there's nothing else…"

Tianmei crawled through the air again, winding like a leaf in the wind toward Nima, her trail of smoke wisping around her. She gracefully landed in front of Nima, an unrolled scroll of parchment having conjured itself from nothing appearing in her long nailed fingertips. On the scroll were the terms of their agreement in an old dialect of common that her Uncle Otaku loved reading old age legendary literature in.

" _Do we have a deal?_ "

And there again was the predator, staring her down with a smile that promised hell either way. In Tianmei's other hand, a writing quill twisted into life, bone white feathers adorning the end. It floated above her palm as she extended it to Nima in encouragement.

" _Go on…_ "

The whisper caressed the tendrils of her hair and the soft of her skin like an unholy prayer. Nima looked between the pen and the scroll. This contract was going to be her life until she completed it and, by gods, she was terrified. Terrified beyond belief and still hoping to every god listening that this was just a dream. Just a terrible nightmare and she'd wake up in her room with her purple bed sheets and her family up on deck getting started for the day. But with a trembling hand and a last glance at Tianmei's intently focused eyes, Nima grabbed the quill out of the air and brought the red dipped brush tip to the parchment, signing the characters of her name in what she suspected to be blood. Whether it was her own blood or not, she had absolutely no intention in finding out. With the last stroke of ink to paper, the pen yanked itself out of her hand and disappeared into dust once again.

Tianmei's eyes widened slightly with a manic satisfaction as she looked the contract over again and then one last time. The parchment rolled up on it's own and disappeared as the pen had and Tianmei twirled high over Nima's head, grinning as if she were on top of the world.

"Climb into the boat and it will take you to Huiyanshan just south of Lushe," she told Nima.

"Okay... " Nima nodded. "But where do I even start? How am I supposed to find these pieces?"

Tianmei shrugged. "How should I know? it's your job to figure that out. Though I suggest starting with coming into contact with the mermaid population up in those parts. They have odd knowledges."

"...mermaids."

"Yes, mermaids. _Good luck_ , my dear," Tianmei waved with her fingers. "And now, hold your breath."

And then she disappeared with a snap of her fingers and a little twirl. Nima was about to call out for her to get her out of this bubble, but then, with the source of it's magic now absent, the structure began to collapse.

Panicked, Nima managed to inhale a gulp of air as sea water sloshed in, filling the space and throwing her around until she was fully submerged. She kicked her limbs around until her legs were treading water and she reached for the light of the surface. Up and up she swam, away from the wreckage she hadn't realized had been below her until now and toward the boat Tianmei had said would be there waiting for her.

She'd almost run out of air by the time she made it to the surface and threw an arm over the side of the boat as she emerged, audibly gasping. Inside the small boat built for two was only a single brown cloak. With considerable effort, she climbed into the simple boat and snatched the cloak around her. Looking around, it was still bright, the sun overhead, and she saw only sea. Sea and distant land far ahead of her.

There were no oars to row nor a sail for the wind to catch, but once she'd gotten settled in, the boat began to navigate itself toward the shore.

-:-:-:-

"Dad…?"

Rama tried not to squirm, his father's back to him. The sun was setting and Taani was up from her long nap now, seemingly okay after what his medically inclined Uncle Longshot had best described as a "meltdown" of had always been rare for as long as Rama could remember. Or, at least, not common for her whatsoever. They'd only occurred a couple times over the years and they'd always come under serious social and emotional duress. Whatever the case, even Rama was no help. After making sure that Taani was eating dinner just fine, he'd come up to the deck after seeing his father wander up as everyone else went down to the dining hall. Knowing his father, it was probably a bit of a habit at the moment.

Nima just being _gone_ all of a sudden and never coming back was the hardest thing he'd ever faced in the world so far. How could she just be _gone?_ And why would his family not tell he or Taani exactly _how_ she had gone?

He could only guess the answer was pretty horribly. And that… that made him sick just from not knowing. That his big sister had probably died worse than most people ever deserved to and…

His heart sunk low.

He hadn't even told her how much he loved her and, gods, he'd never realized before all those time he teased her to get lost how much he'd miss her. It was something he never had to think about. Now, a few days and many tears later, he still felt the burning hole torn in him.

She was just gone. Dead. Like a puff of smoke.

It wasn't _fair_.

But after Taani's meltdown, he also realized it might not have been quite fair to blame his father for her death. No matter how much "factually" they might be true. Maybe it wasn't right to take his anger out on somebody who was going to blame themselves for the rest of their life.

The recent days had been full of nothing but pain and right now he just wanted something to feel better.

HIs father turned around to look at him and flashed a weak smile.

"Hey, buddy," he said quietly. "What you doing all the way up here? Shouldn't you be eating dinner right about now?"

Rama shook his head. "Not hungry…" He took a step. "Can I be with you instead?"

As an answer, his father smiled again - albeit somewhat sadly - and lifted an arm to free up his side. Unable to help himself, Rama walked into him, throwing his arms around his father's torso and screwed his eyes shut, willing himself not to cry again.

"I'm sorry…" he croaked.

His father put his arm around him, holding him tight. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I-"

"Yes, I do," said Rama, voice cracking. "It wasn't your fault. I just-I… I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

He felt his father hold on tight to him and put his other hand on the back of his head. Rama felt tears slide down his nose and onto the side of his father's shirt. For a moment, they just stood there and held onto each other.

"You have _nothing_ to be sorry about, do you understand me?" His father said gently. "Because you were right. It is my fault that this happened."

Rama shook his head fervently. "No! No, it was't! It was Captain Quil's fault. He…"

Looking up, he could see his father smiling sadly at him still.

"It was, but as a father I also have to take responsibility. And you know what happened."

Feeling more tears fall down his cheeks, his father wiped them away with his thumb and Rama buried his face in his father's shirt, his body shaking with sobs.

"I love you, Dad," he said, his crying muffled in his father's shirt.

His father bent down just low enough to kiss the top of his head. "I love you too, son. I hope you know that. I love you and your mother and… and your sisters so much."

Rama nodded firmly, but didn't dare look up at his father in an effort for them both to maybe save a little face. He had a hunch that they were both probably crying.

* * *

And the stage is set. Tianmei makes her deal and now next chapter things getting rolling a little bit more. Also, I'll admit, that I liked writing Rama and Kai working things out. It was a bit of a relief to write, actually!

This story hasn't gotten quite as much as attention, but for those who are reading, I really appreciate it! I love it when you guys drop those reviews and they're really what's keeping me going and keeping me writing! Again, this fic hasn't gotten much attention and I really appreciate every word of feedback you leave even if it's just pointing something out! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	11. Huiyanshan

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Huiyanshan****

* * *

The plump woman in the tailor shop finally came back to the small room she'd brought Nima into, holding up a sleeveless dress through the crack in the door. The dress was a pastel lavender in color and draped over it was a darker pastel purple cropped top. She'd gone into the shop, clutching her cloak tightly around herself to keep anyone from seeing the enormous blood stain dried down the front of her brown and gold skirts. Thankfully, the woman running the place didn't ask any questions and merely obliged Nima, shuffling her to a tidy room in the back where she was finally able to strip off all of her clothes, hiding them under the cloak.

"I just looked at you and knew I had just the perfect thing," beamed the shopkeeper. "It's one of my more simple creations."

"It's okay. I'm a little desperate," muttered Nima. "Slipped in some mud."

The shopkeeper nodded. "Down by the beach, eh? Yeah, there is that one spot… well, slip it on and let's see how it fits."

Nima slipped on the dress with ease. It was thin, but it fit over her well and comfortably, ending just barely at calf length. She tied on the cropped top over the dress, the knot resting under her breasts. The opening of the top spread wide to rest on her shoulders, her collarbone revealed and the straight neckline of the dress peeking from underneath.

It was a simple dress, but pretty. And, most importantly, it would do her a lot more favors than her old dress with what was probably most of her blood on it. When she opened the door, the shopkeeper just beamed, proud of her work and decision. "Oh, I knew it. Just perfect. Do a turn for me?"

Shifting on her feet, Nima turned full circle until she was facing the smiling shopkeeper once again. The shopkeeper crossed her arms in satisfaction and surveyed her. "What a dearie you are. And, gods, I envy your hips." The shopkeeper sighed wistfully. "I'd probably had more children. How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Nima said quietly, standing still as the shopkeeper looked her over once more.

"Mm. See, I was a beanpole when I was your age and I tried to eat my way to curves." The shopkeeper sighed again. "Count yourself lucky. You're wide in all the right places."

Nima didn't answer. Clearing her throat and looking for anything to do, she walked over to the cloak, searching through it for the five gold coins that Tianmei had probably left in it just for this reason. Hopefully, this would cover it.

"How much do I owe you?"

"Well… normally, I'd say four gold yuans, but…" The shopkeeper grinned invitingly and laughed. "I like the way your rear looks in that dress. I'll give it to you and a matching pair of slippers for three gold coins. Consider it a deal specially for you, doll."

"Deal," said Nima and quickly handed over the coins.

She'd take it and get the hell out of here.

"You know, I swear that I've seen you before somewhere..." The shopkeeper scratched her head as Nima was headed out the door. "Do you live around here?"

Nima shook her head, glancing over her shoulder. "I dance. I've danced up in this town before."

"Dance…?" The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. "Oh, I know where I've seen you at! You're that pirate dancing girl, aren't you? From that ship - what was it? Yes, yes, _The Waterbender!_ Wave Dancer, wasn't it? Oh, gods, I love ya! No wonder I can't stop looking at your hips. I've seen you dance before and, my word, you're gorgeous! You can really shake it!" Nima flashed a small grin, slowly edging out the door. She was tired and, frankly, just the slightest bit disturbed. "They have your picture on this wall. Sketches! All along the wall in front of tavern you-"

"I'm sorry, I have to go," Nima said quickly. "Bye!"

And she nearly threw herself out the door. As helpful as the woman was, the comments about her hips were beginning to pile up a little too much. It was part of the territory with being a dancer and all, but there was a limit where she then just felt like strangers were raking at her body with their eyes and their words.

It wasn't like she minded others noticing her that way. She really didn't. But strangers were still strangers, after all…

Pushing the shopkeeper out of her mind, Nima discarded her old clothes in an alley. That blood was never going to come out and it wouldn't exactly look good if she tried to donate or bring it to anybody. When she'd arrived in Huiyanshan, it'd been just past noon. For a while, she'd just sat on the beach, digesting everything that had happened in the last few hours. The fact that she'd been _dead_ and then _brought back to life_ by a sea witch being among other things. Even if she knew at heart that it was all true, a part of her wondered if she was just in some nightmare. A good part of her _hoped_ that was what was going on.

But, alas, that was simply wishful thinking and, here she was, now roaming through the town as the sun began to set. Her task was to start searching for these sword pieces and to do that she had to find this thing called the Charter of Stars and to find _that_ she needed to talk to some mermaids. But, then, how did you find _them?_

It wasn't like mermaids just popped up to the surface to talk to humans all the time. Sure, they were seen on too many occasions for people to discount their existence, but it was like meeting a sea witch with the ability to bring one back from the dead. It just wasn't something that most expected to happen.

That all being said, Tianmei had said the town around here actually had a rather large mermaid population and Nima could believe it. Her Uncle Lefty insisted to heaven and hell that mermaids existed and that he'd even _met_ a few when sailing somewhere in the Amaterasu sea many years ago. According to him, mermaids generally preferred warmer waters. Hence, many cited the Amaterasu Sea and, sometimes, the Tie Sanjiao sea as their home.

Question was, how were you supposed to go about finding one?

For a good long while, she walked aimlessly around town, having just enough money to find a decent room for the night maybe. She wanted to save the coin just in case, however, so she wondered if there was an alternative and walked past all the inns and taverns ready for a weary patron to ask for room and board. And, gods, was she weary.

By the time she got to a modest looking well maintained wooden building it was already dark and somebody was leaving, locking the doors behind him and walking away. Nima waited around the corner - an instinct of technically being a wanted criminal all her life - then walked up to the building so she could read the bronze painted plate displayed dutifully beside the large double doors.

"Huiyanshan library, huh?" She looked up at the building. At its windows and what seemed like recently painted on eggshell color of the wood. It truly was a quaint building. Her mother would have loved it.

There had to be a way to break in.

She walked around to the back of the building. Most buildings had a back door or, if not, then a window that somebody might have forgotten to close before leaving for home. Summer still hadn't quite left the air after all and libraries could get hot and stuffy. Lo and behold, a window just large enough for her to crawl into was left just so slightly ajar. She stuck a nail into the crack and willed it open just large enough to stick her finger through. The window creaked open, but nobody was around and she hoisted herself through once she'd forced it open, landing on polished wooden floors.

It was dark, but the moonlight illuminated the place through large paned windows, an almost peaceful manner lighting the place. Or maybe she was just too tired to feel afraid. Either way, this would do for a sleeping place. She could find some nook or cranny to rest in for the night surely. Maybe a couch left in a storeroom.

First, though, she was going to see what they had on mermaids. Wading through the shelves, she thought of how this is what her mother would have done. If you had a problem then finding a book on it was the best place to start and she could use all the help she could get quite frankly. She passed shelves on science and religion and contemporary fashion - whatever that meant. But nothing on mythology. Nothing with mermaids at least. In the nautical section where books full of sea life and pirates she looked, but still nothing.

"Maybe they don't keep it in this section?" she said to to one in particular.

Out of a natural curiosity, she traced her finger along the spines of the books on the shelf. _Deadly Pirates_. _Lords of the Seas_. _Famous Patrons of the Eight Oceans. Privateers and Pirates._ So many books on sea navigators and pirates and all manner of whom made their life on the seas.

This was _her_ life in a bookshelf. Or, well, it had been before she was suddenly thrown into this mess. On this bookshelf was a collection of just about her whole life. She'd known what a bowsprit was before making the wonderful discovery that bakeries were big places full of sweets.

Nima picked up one of the books, a new one it looked from how well taken care of it seemed compared to some of the old veteran novels sitting beside it.

 _Civilization at Sea: An Age of Piracy,_ it read.

Nima flipped through thefirst few pages, instantly recognizing a myriad of terms and words and names throughout the chapter. She read even further, going as far as several more chapters before she came upon a chapter that made her stop just to look at it.

"Most Famous Pirates," she read. It was a straightforward enough title and the longest chapter in the book. She carefully flipped over the first page and immediately she was met with a two paged long map of the world with lines and names and pictures of faces. Almost everybody on this rang a bell. Some more than others.

A picture of Captain Quil was on the bottom, a line connecting him to section of the map where the Tie Sanjiao Sea was labeled. He had a small, humorless, menacing smile. It was somehow the most serious she'd ever seen him. As if that smile promised pain. She wondered who took it and if they lived to tell anyone. Either way, what a brave soul.

 _Pirate Lord of the Tie Sanjiao Sea, Captain Quil is magnanimously famous for his iron fist on the slave trade. He's considered one of the most ruthless pirates alive and highly dangerous. Pirate Hunters all around the world are ordered to kill him on sight, but this has yet to be successful. As of the publishing date on this book, Captain Quil is still at large and a terrible scourge on the seas_.

More than a scourge. Nima likened him to something of a nightmare come alive.

Up top, was a picture and a line pointed to the Wujin Sea. The picture was of a girl with black hair in a high ponytail, skin that was just a couple shades lighter than Nima's and a serious disposition, amber eyes flaring even behind the sepia photo. It made Nima smile. Tikaani Iluak was her best friend - her sister really - and the daughter of the now former Captain Korra and Mako Ferreto. Only nineteen years old and one of the most feared pirates around being Pirate Lord of the Wujin Sea. There hadn't been a pirate lord in those waters for over fifty years due to it's sheer size, but now this girl who wasn't even twenty had taken it by storm.

Her heart dropped. Of course, that had only happened because of what Nima had done. If it hadn't been for her… Tikaani wouldn't have _had_ to take over the ship she was enslaved on. Swallowing hard, she looked away.

Her father was on the left page. He looked smug, not as smug as the pictures her mother had shown him when he was younger - "You're dad was an ass to journalist photographers. But they kind of deserved it honestly," her mother once told her - but his eyes were almost filled with challenge. She'd seen her father in action and she knew what he was capable of. So did the rest of the world. Perhaps that was why so many wanted to take him down.

Still, the thought of him made her want to cry. Did… did he care? About what happened to her? Did he think about her?

She shook her head. Her father was mad at her, but surely… surely he cared if she died. Surely he felt _something_. She told herself that again and again until the thought tucked itself into a corner somewhere in the back of her mind.

Looking at her father's picture again, she read what was under his name.

 _Captain Kai of The Waterbender is highly dangerous and a menace to society both pirate and civilian alike. World renown for his swordsmanship and righteous streak, his vessel often targets slave traders around the world. One could call him an important balancing piece of life on the seas. However, he has been known to rampage upon his enemies and should not be trusted. See page three hundred and ninety five for more._

More?

What more could they know than what's in the papers day in and day out? Even Nima didn't know so how could they? An itching curiosity made her flip to the listed page. It was an entire page dedicated to her father, talking about his life as early as childhood - how the hell did they know _that_ \- all the way to the present time. It was all very general, but… still. Looking a few pages back and forward, there were sections dedicated to all of the more famous pirates mentioned. All eight of the current Pirates Lords, various pirate living legends and a few who were dead, the Kings of Paradise. All manner of fame.

Her mother had a single page to herself even. It was a nice picture, something presentable and mild with a smile that told Nima she was was probably forced into the picture while roaming some marketplace when they visited Republic City. The initial paragraph on her section, talking about her general life, education and so on and so forth, was small, but there nonetheless:

 _Jinora Gyatso was born the oldest daughter of Governor Tenzin Gyatso and, his wife, Pema Gyatso. She has three younger siblings and her brother is the current Governor of Republic City. Noted to be an intelligent and well sought out debutante, she was expected to marry the oldest of the Chow family, but took a surprising turn when she instead suddenly eloped with pirate captain, Kai of the The Waterbender. Official stories state that the captain kidnapped Gyatso and they fell in love, but sources say that the pirate captain seduced her on a port drop in Republic City. They have three children together._

Nima could have laughed outright at that if the situation at hand wasn't a bit of a damper. _Seduced?_ Well, _maybe_ it was true, but her dad couldn't seduce a cupcake even if it wanted to be eaten. This was the same man who played tricks on Mouse by poking her butt while she was trying to take a nap on deck.

She flipped the page over. Maybe her Uncle Lefty had a page. He was pretty old and knew a lot of people. And Maybe Grandpa Yung as well. Surely somebody had heard about him. Perhaps her Uncle Appa too-

And that was when she found her own page.

Startled, Nima blinked. What in the gods' names was she doing in here?

She looked over the page again to make sure it was indeed _her_ they were talking about, but that was indeed her picture. In fact, there were various pictures of her. One of a photograph that was probably taken after some performance and a few more that were sketchings or paintings of her.

She stared at the page of a girl she wasn't sure she actually was staring back with green eyes alight and an inviting smile of a dubious nature. Her skirts lifted around her like a curtain ready for a show and her hands seemed to gesture in the air like a siren's song. One particular picture had a few men looking on, cheering, taking off their hats, mesmerized by something that the whole illustration was drowned in.

 _Daughter of Kai, The Waterbender's Captain, and Jinora Gyatso, Nima Gyatso is the hypocritically famed dancer who sails the seas with her family. A young roaringly successful upstart, she's become one of the most desirous and sought after beauties of the age for her pedigree, talents and rumored natural beauty. All of which combine to attract bachelors, those looking for hired talent and slave traders alike. She goes by many names including, but not limited to, The Wave Dancer, Wind on the Waves and Summer of the Seas._

Something about the paragraph left a less than appetizing taste in her mouth. Her father was righteous, her mother was intelligent and she had been described as… hypnotically famed. It wasn't as if they had said anything _bad_ about her. It just wasn't… exactly what she had been expecting, she supposed.

Even so, she was still surprised that she had a page in this book at all. Maybe she was famous, but that had always been only because she had famous parents, right? Well… then again, Rama and Taani weren't anywhere in this book outside of vague mentions in her parents biographies. Why hadn't they been mentioned and she had?

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the answer wiggled at her, beckoning her from a corner she tried to ignore it from. Not allowing herself to dwell on it any longer, she continued to flip through the pages, finding mentions of her family all over it along the way. It detailed many famous pirates, privateers and sea navigators that she knew little to nothing about. She looked at the publishing date on the inside of the still perfectly bound pages. This had only been published a little over a month ago. Gods, it was absolutely brand new.

It had so much information in it. Updates even on who was dead, who was still around and who was the creme of the crop as far as sea civilization went.

And there was so many things in here that she didn't know. All things her family, namely her parents, had kept from her. It detailed not just the _who_ , but the _what_. What pirates did what, why the did it, how they did it and the general mechanics of their whole lives. This was her way of life between two hard covers and she didn't even know half of it.

Finding the desk bathed in a shaft of bright moonlight, she went looking underneath the desk, looking for something, anything really to carry with her. After a bit of scrounging through large desks she found a dusty satchel sitting at the bottom of a large drawer. Clearly, this hadn't been used for a while. Hopefully the person who owned it wouldn't miss it all that much? It was a little torn on the inside and it was clear that whoever owned it had money. The leather was fine and the lining on the inside was of lovely quality if not worn from much use.

Apparently, they didn't want it anymore stuffed in this dusty old library desk or it was a lost thing, forgotten and unwanted. She felt a twinge of empathy for the thing suddenly and slung it over her shoulder so that it hung over her hip, pocketing the book inside. After checking for any holes, tears or anything that might cause something to fall out, she felt satisfied and walked back to the shelves, steering her mind back to the task at hand: mermaids.

Clearly, the nautical section wasn't going to help. There wasn't anything there about sea myths, rather, that section had been preserved for more "practical" topics. Winding around shelf after shelf, she'd made it closer to a less kept section. The books seemed more unorganized and less taken care of. Noticing titles such a _Witch's Brew_ and _A Guide to Witch Lore_ , Nima immediately felt skeeved and hastened down a few more shelves. She didn't want to touch anything that had to do with witches. Not this time of night. It made her feel like Tianmei was going to appear out of the dark and the idea frightened her a bit too much to brave it at the moment. As she passed by, however,, she did force herself to stop for a split second and grab the book about witch lore, stuffing it into her new found satchel.

Down a few aisles was a section where the shelf stood against a wall, the tall structure itself decorated with carved shapes coming out of the wood like the faces of nymphs and dragons and sirens. It was a beautiful work of art an Nima could see why they might keep it all by itself where it wouldn't get too damaged by any accidents. Perhaps the librarian was a mythology fan because it was organized quite well, each book taken care of to the best of it's ability it looked like and the wood polished and dusted.

After a few look overs she finally found a seemingly straightforward book. Nima picked up the book, _Mermaids: A Journal and Guide._

The author had apparently spent much of their life observing the creatures who he detailed to be a cousin species to sirens. Reading on, he noted their habits and their temperaments toward various other species. Apparently, they got on well with humans- as long as the humans were nice that was. Attractive humans were met more receptively.

About a chapter in she finally found something.

"...mermaids usually eat seafood," read Nima, putting her finger under the words as she followed along. "Many kinds of fish depending on where they live. But they love fruit. They do love fruit and are always delighted to get even a little bit of it. If put into water, they can even somehow detect it. Journal entry number one hundred and thirty two..."

Mermaids liked fruit? But what kind of fruit? She read it over again.

Maybe it didn't matter. She supposed that without being able to go onto land all they _had_ to eat was seafood. It made sense. Even Nima would get sick of fish if all she ate was fish. Mermaids apparently felt the same.

Well, if fruit was what they wanted then that's what they would get. After all, it wasn't like she had too many options.

It was a start. Maybe not a good one, but the only one she had.

* * *

This chapter did indeed feel more transitionary writing it. It was more of a breather chapter and we get a start to Nima's journey here. She takes a more inward detour, however, as she starts finding a way into this whole sword business.

Once again, guys I really do appreciate the feedback! This story doesn't quite get the same kind of attention that my other stories do, but I do feel like it's some of my best work. I really appreciate every review and bit of feedback even if it's just pointing out something! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	12. Shadows at Sundown

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Shadows at Sundown  
****

* * *

Things on the ship still weren't normal - and Kai wasn't sure if they'd _ever_ really be what they considered normal again - but everything was beginning to numb a little bit. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, but he supposed it was better than crying every day. Jinora still cried in the night. Not that he blamed her. She would turn over, he would hear her sniffle and would do the only thing that either of them could. They would wrap their arms around each other and hold the other tight until whoever was crying felt whatever comfort that could be had in the moment.

The only saving grace in the space of the past week was that Rama was no longer mad at him it seemed even though Kai was thoroughly convinced that he deserved it. But if it made his son feel better not to be angry with his father anymore then that was fine. No matter how much Kai just wanted to go drown himself. He swore that there were moments when he nearly did. What he had done… what he had done to Nima had eventually led to her _death_. She was dead and her body was somewhere floating apart he just-

Fuck, there were moments he couldn't _take_ it and he would grip the nearest surface until it passed just enough for him to be functional again. Just enough that everybody else couldn't see the well deserved torture. He didn't want everybody telling him that it wasn't his fault because it just felt patronizing. It _was_ his fault and what he had done to his daughter was irreversible. She was gone and dead and not a single kind word was going bring her back to them.

He would live with that. Somehow. Somehow live while dying all the same.

As for Danuma, Kai generally shut him out. He didn't want to look at the guy who had helped orchestrate Nima's death because, deep down, Kai knew it hadn't been with any real knowledge. Where had he himself been at nineteen? It wasn't like he knew all the answers now, so how could he then? Still, the facts didn't change. The boy hadn't even stopped to _think_ or care and that way of going about things had helped bring Quil's sword through her body. No lack of ill intentions were going to make him feel any better about the guy. It was apathy and carelessness that had led him to where they were all at. Something he had a hard time forgiving of anybody, including himself. Not that Danuma asked for forgiveness from anyone but Taani. No he didn't nor did Kai expect it.

With feelings as messy as that, he was perfectly content enough to shut the man from his mind and his very existence outside of what he had to pay attention to. Whenever they hit the next port, he would be off Kai's ship. That was a promise.

These days, Kai was just _tired_. Always and perpetually tired in a way that sleep just wasn't going to cure. Not that he was getting any in the first place. He needed something to not necessarily make him feel better, but keep him functional. Yung was trying to still keep him from doing too much, but he needed something to do, if only half heartedly. All the time was giving him too much room for thinking about what he'd done… at least, _more so_. He would have let it destroy him were it not for Jinora and, namely, the twins who still needed a father. That all being said, he still spent most of his time either in his quarters or on deck staring at the endless ocean. Gods knew he wasn't sure what to do with himself. The days were beginning to blur together. He could feel it.

Down below deck he went, for some tea that he knew wouldn't make him feel any better. If anything, it was just to keep him busy when he found Daw hunched over a kitchen countertop, shoulders shaking. He didn't turn around so he must not have heard Kai walking in. Kai frowned.

Gently, he said, "Daw?"

Daw jumped a little bit, hastily wiping his face. When he turned, Kai could see a bowl filled with raspberries and all mushed around.

"S-sorry, cap. I was just making a bit of dessert. Some fruit tarts, that is. And I…" He took a deep, shaky breath, his eyes going bright and his voice cracking. "I can't finish it."

"Why? What's-"

Nima's favorite food were fruit tarts. Her absolute favorite. Her Uncle Daw became her hero every time he made it.

Kai swallowed hard at this man who had been making him meals for the past rough twenty years, tears streaks down his cheeks and having wet the bridge of his nose. It wasn't instinct that sent him flying into Daw's arms, no, definitely not instinct. Rather, the sight of the man crying and his own chest getting tight was just too much to bear. Every drop felt like the weight of the world crashing down again and again, the sky crumbling to remind him of what he'd done and what it'd cost his daughter. What it'd cost them all and what it had taken away from them.

It was stifling.

But he wasn't about to _dare_ leave Daw all by himself. Not when he needed a shoulder to cry on. How many people and how many times had Daw been the shoulder? Frankly, they could both use someone to lean on right now. Daw wrapped his arms around Kai and hugged him back, silently crying onto his shirt.

No words needed to be said. They all missed Nima and that ache was still fresh. Raw and vulnerable to the world. In a way, Kai never wanted to port. He just wanted to stay on their ship where everything felt safe and familiar. It was a childish notion, maybe, but right now he did not feel like a man.

They pulled back and Daw sniffed, trying to smile.

"Thank you, cap. I know I shouldn't-"

Kai swallowed hard and shook his head. "Don't be. You loved her too."

-:-:-:-

The day was ending, orange streaking the sky as the sun ran to meet the horizon. Still, Kai felt weary as he always did these past days. It didn't matter what time of day it was. He could have been fully rested and it still felt as if the world had sucked a part of his soul from him. For now, he just wanted a moment alone before the work was done for the day, the crew moving around him as they completed their last minute chores. Leaning against the gunwales of the ship, he watched almost with a new mourning in his chest as the day slowly died.

"Captain?"

Turning, he didn't smile at Jinora as she stood behind him, waiting. He only nodded at her. She knew. She knew why he did what he did. Why it was hard to smile and why it would be for a long time, for both of them. Her hand found his and she just leaned her head against his shoulder as they watched the sun go down together. Her tearful sigh was there and it made him plant a kiss in her hair.

He squeezed her hand.

"What a lovely couple you two are. It's no wonder you made such pretty children."

Kai immediately twirled, pulling his sword out and pushing Jinora behind him. He did not know that voice. Who in the hell was that? Facing the source of the voice, he quite nearly dropped his weapon.

A woman melted out of the shadows like a wraith- where the _fuck_ were her legs? - robes white, hair black and pale as death itself. She was beautiful even with that wicked murderer's smile he knew so well. He could hear Jinora pull out her sword as well, but he still kept her behind him. In this life, he'd seen many things and faced many enemies. Many. Met many people.

And he knew when someone was dangerous.

One look at this woman told him that she was intimately acquainted with death and it sent his instincts into a frenzy.

The woman crawled - floated? - up above them, supported by some invisible platform as she lounged. Out of the corners of his vision, he could see the other members of his crew having also drawn their weapons, a few pointing pistols at her.

"My, my, what a warm welcome," she laughed.

"Who the hell are you and what the ever living fuck are you doing on my ship?" demanded Kai.

"So vulgar." She shrugged. "You wouldn't be talking to me like that if only you knew who I was."

"Fat chance. You clearly don't know me because then you'd know I couldn't care less who you are," he growled, raising his sword. "Now, talk. Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?"

He didn't ask her how. Frankly, he didn't want to know. Those tendrils of smoke for legs probably had some vague thing to do with the answer. In this youth, he'd dealt with witches before and by dealt, he meant he'd once slept with one and then promptly gotten his eyebrows turned yellow when he had to end it.

Needless to say, he knew he'd gotten off with nothing more than a slap on the hand and never, _never_ had he seen or heard of witches who didn't have legs, but it was really the only explanation he could comprehensively come up with. She had that "look at me, I have magic and you don't" look to her.

She sighed, seemingly bored. "Does it _really_ matter?"

"Well, I certainly think it does. You're a witch, aren't you?"

"Ooh, look at you. Pretty and smart. Now, I see where your baby girl got it from. Maybe all you green eyed folks are just like that at heart..."

Kai froze.

If this woman had a part in Nima's death too, _any at all_ , he swore before gods he didn't care if she was a witch. He was going to kill her. The list of people on his "need to kill" list was getting uncomfortably long, but he supposed that might have been his own fault. If he just had been man enough to face his own daughter none of this would be happening-

"What do you know about her?" If they were talking about the same person then she would know exactly who he was talking about. "Or any of my children for that matter? _And who the hell are you?_ "

She seemed to ignore him for a moment, cocking her head and contemplating both he and Jinora for a moment. "Tianmei," she said absently. "Nice to meet you, say, I was right, you do look like your daughter."

Tianmei.

He thought for a moment, trying to rattle his brain for any kind of familiarity, but he'd never heard of her. Not even once.

"That's not important, you tell me-"

"I wasn't talking to you," she cut him off. "I was talking to your wife, here. Say, mama dear? You look like your baby, did you know that?"

Jinora stepped from behind Kai, raising her sword as well. "What do you want?"

Tianmei groaned and rolled her eyes. "Everybody's just all business, aren't we? I don't get to meet your other babies? I bet I could spot the resemblance between them all."

"You _stay away_ from our children," Jinora snapped. "Now, just tell us what you want already!"

Kai couldn't have said it better himself. He wanted to know why this woman was so interested in their children, why the hell she was here in the first place and when could she leave. Her legs. Smoke legs- whatever. They were creeping him out.

Tianmei grinned like a spiderfly who'd caught something good in it's web. Her eyes and teeth were enough to give him goosebumps. There was just something unnatural about her smile that made Kai's skin crawl so terribly. It made his grip on his sword tighten. "Would you like to see Nima, again? I did some handy work on her," she said, eerily calm. "She's good as new. Well, not new, but close enough to it."

Kai exhaled.

"What do you mean?" he asked quietly.

"Cap…" That was Lefty, the thump coming closer until he was in the corner of Kai's vision. "Careful, now. You don't want to just believe every word she says."

Tianmei simpered. "How rude. I wouldn't come here if I didn't have proof now."

A tendril of smoke broke off and she swirled it around with a cycling motion of her arms as if she were spinning a will. The smoke whirled and spun and twirled until it parted just enough, like a mirror being revealed and-

Kai just about dropped his sword.

Nima was looking right at him.

He dropped his arm and would have stepped forward if it weren't for Lefty's firm hand on his shoulder. From shock or trying to hold him back or both, he didn't know. Anything other than that face looking back at him was incomprehensible.

Was it real…? Was it really her?

There were murmurs from the rest of the crew, a bit of a squeaked cry from Momo, a clack from where Zedd had probably dropped his dice and colorful bit of swearing from Skoochy. But Kai was silent. Utterly silent. He wasn't sure he could even _breathe_.

Nima blinked at him. She made a worried face and sighed, but there was no sound. Her fingers brushed her hair back over her shoulders, then she retreated, turning away from the portal. Perhaps it was an actual mirror they were looking through? Kai could see that she was in some kind of old storeroom with lots of books - a library maybe? - an old chair and a few other dusty things that cluttered the place. It was night where she was. Did that mean she was really far away? They'd been sailing away from the Amaterasu Sea for a good week now. The sun was already down by now in that part of the world surely.

She wasn't wearing the clothes she'd been wearing when she died, he noticed. Had she had a chance to change or was that an indicator that this wasn't real. Grabbing a small pocket sized book lying on the bookshelf, she looked it over for a minute, then promptly stuffed it into a satchel.

"I see she still has those sticky fingers of hers…" said Tianmei.

"Where is she…?" Kai breathed.

"I don't know. Somewhere." Tianmei shrugged, smiling again.

Kai had a feeling that wasn't exactly truthful. He still continued to stare through the portal, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Nima then sat on the old cushioned chair and pulled out a book from her satchel to read. For a moment, he was unbridledly happy. There was his baby girl. _Alive_ and just reading a book. Just, she was-

He felt Jinora's hand clench his. Reality flooded back when he glanced over at her, a few stray tears falling down her cheeks. All of a sudden, just when he'd been so high, he was now so low.

"This is a lie," he choked. It was more of an accusation than an observation.

Tianmei raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"

"I saw her body," he said, his voice still croaking. He'd fallen right for that, thinking that Nima was really okay. Quil had literally thrown her body at his feet. There was no way that was her. It was all a lie. "You're _lying_."

"And I'm sure me floating in front of you is a lie too, hm?" she asked "Oh, come now, Captain. You can't open your mind to the possibilities? People used to believe the world wasn't around eons ago, so why would it not be possible for me to have twiddled my fingers a bit and patched your little baby up?"

"Because you're trying to tell us that you brought a dead girl back to life and we're not buying it," said Yung, his presence edging over where Kai could tell he was standing right next to Lefty.

Tianmei bobbled her head a little bit in a snooty, mocking gesture. "Well, it's actually fairly easy when she's stolen from me and then not returned everything she took," she huffed, bringing a hand up as a velvety coin purse formed in her palm.

That coin purse...

Kai stared hard at it. That was the one Nima had taken from that rich lad- oh shit.

"Yes, that's right. Your little pirate princess is a _thief_. Let me explain in the shortest terms I possibly can because I had to drill it through her head enough as it is: she stole from me, I put a nifty little tracking spell on her, I got her to give me back my money with a lovely disguise, everything wasn't there though, then she died and all that let me bring her back to life with a bit more magic. You get all that? I was able to bring her back to life because she still owed me."

"That's not possible." That was Danuma from a quiet corner. "You can't just bring people back to life."

"Oh, woe is the mortal imagination. Anything is possibly, my lovelies." Tianmei crawled through the air again, sauntering around them all. "It's simply a question of _price_. If it helps your noggins, I basically got a marked down price because our famous dancer here," she gestured toward Nima in the portal. "Took things that were mine and she died when I still had unfinished business with her. The magical forces at work here due to my spells allowed me to keep her from crossing over in case I ever called in my favor. Well, I've called it in and now here I am."

Lefty snorted. "You sure do talk a lot. Why should we believe you?"

"Do you have any reason not to? I mean." She laughed a little. "Why else would I come to you? For your good company?"

"If you are…" Kai took a deep breath. "If you are telling the truth, then what do I have to do?"

" _Kai_ ," hissed Yung. "She's playing you!"

"But what if she's telling the truth…?" Kai looked at him, feeling himself nearly plead. "Yung, I know this might be a bad idea, but I've got to see for myself."

Yung didn't seem the slightest bit convinced, but he didn't say anything else, his jaw tight. Kai looked at Jinora, who looked like she was biting at the inside of her cheek. She nodded at him and he squeezed her hand. She understood. She always did.

"If you are telling the truth," Kai repeated, turning back to Tianmei. "What do I have to do?"

There was that wicked grin again. Tianmei held an arm, where a piece of parchment appeared, the character's of Nima's name etched in a pulsing glowing red. "This," she said. "Is a contract your lovely girl signed. A _binding_ contract may I add. The general terms are as is: she hunts down the piece of Kinguyakki's Sword - a fine treasure I require in case you must know - for me and I'll let her live. Failure to complete this task will result in the contract being void. That is, if she can't or won't finish the task at hand. Seeing as I love myself a good bargain, you will help with that."

So, she wanted to make another deal.

Kai frowned. "How?"

"It's pretty simple. Agree to help her find the pieces and I'll tell you exactly where she is. I will _reunite_ you with your pretty princess." The contract with Nima's name on it disappeared and a signature free one replaced it. "All you have to do is sign _here_."

A pen crept to life in Tianmei's fingers, white feathers sticking off the end. Kai quite nearly grabbed it. He nearly _lunged_ for it because he would do god knows _anything_ to reunite with Nima. He could hold her again. He could tell her how sorry he was for everything. He could prop his chin up on top of her head and listen to her talk about all the things that mattered to her.

She could be here with them again.

But…

Would this witch really allow them that so easily?

He glanced around at his crew. He looked at Yung and Left, at Jinora besides him. At Nukko and Zedd and Momo and Nidhi and Po and Bani- then his eyes rested on Skoochy. He looked at the pen, then back at Skoochy.

He had a feeling he knew what the answer was.

So, he gave it to her right back.

"No."

Tianmei blinked. Then she blinked again.

"No?"

"No," Kai repeated. "Now, get off my ship."

Tianmei floated there for a moment, apparently still trying to process Kai's answer. Kai didn't move. He just stared at her, defiantly meeting her molten colored eyes. They were at a stand still. A witch who seemed all powerful and a pirate captain who might have been too reckless and lucky for his own good..

Then she smiled and that smile slowly turned into a grin as the pen and parchment disappeared.

"Okay then," she said quietly. "I guess then that's that. Ta-ta, _Captain_."

She then vanished in a whorl of smoke and an echo of baleful laughter.

Kai wasn't sure if he was confident or regretful in his decision. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to pick through his brain at what was to do next. Had he done the right thing? Had he just doomed Nima? God, he didn't know and he just needed a minute to think about it all.

"You don't know all the answers." Kai looked up when he heard a quiet voice and Yung was looking straight at him. "I know you don't. But only you know what that decision was about. Start there. You know where to start."

Kai scratched the hair on his chin, sighing through his nose.

Yung was right. They were going to help Nima. That's what they were going to do. Help her and find her.

"Okay, listen up," he said in a voice loud enough for them all to hear. "You're probably all wondering why I turned her down, right?"

"You're damn right we are," said Sudhir, sounding more astonished than upset. "Now, she won't tell us where Nima is!"

"We don't need her to. If we were to sign that contract, that witch would _own_ us. Who knows what's in that contract? The fine print? What kind of magic she's using? We don't and gods only know how she might turn us _against_ Nima. I don't think she's the type to play fair and I'm not trading our freedom," said Kai, glancing over his crew and taking a longer second to look at Skoochy. Skoochy nodded at him. "Like that so carelessly. We can help Nima _on our own_. Without Tianmei. She'll just play us all like little pai sho pieces. You're all with me, right?"

There was a roouse of agreement among his men that caused his heart to swell a size bigger, leaving it not quite so shriveled up and broken as it'd been the past few days. Kai looked at Jinora and she smiled with a firm nod.

"I'm always with you, Captain," she told him. "We'll find her."

Kai squeezed her hand in his before letting go to dish out orders. They needed to get moving _now_. "Otaku! I need you to look through all the books we _have_ on this ship about this Kinguyakki's Sword thing she was talking about. If that's what Nima's looking for, then that'll be the best place to start."

"Got it," said Otaku as he trotted off to raid his horde of books.

Jinora put her hand on Kai's shoulder as she passed by. "I'll go help. I might have something in one of my books."

Kai nodded as she left. He then turned to Skoochy. "Skooch, I need you to turn this ship around right now. It was night there and that probably means that she's still somewhere around the Amaterasu Sea. Where around there? I have no clue, but we need to be headed that way."

Skoochy nodded, grabbing the wheel and turning it all the way around.

"The rest of you get to your stations. We need to get this ship moving pronto." The crew moved, Nukko and Lefty and Appa, pulling on ropes like there was no tomorrow, Tyyo climbing up high to somewhere that needed attention, and Gen, Pallo and Nidhi and everybody just thankfully hauling ass like the demons of hell themselves were at their backs. With that taken care of, Kai turned his attention to his least favorite person on the ship. "Except you. You and I are going to talk."

Dan just frowned at him.

-:-:-:-

The captain led Dan below deck and Dan followed him cautiously. He still wasn't sure if Captain Kai wanted to gut him too or not and, frankly, he didn't feel like taking chances. Kai led him down to the dining hall where it was stark empty with the entire crew, minus the cook in the dining hall, were all busy on deck. He turned around to look at Dan and there was a coldness in his eyes that almost made Dan sigh in irritaton.

Great. This was going to be a pain in his ass, wasn't it?

"The second we port," said the captain. "We're dropping you off."

Better for him, thank the gods. "Fine-"

" _Shut up_ and let me finish," growled Kai. "You're going to get off this ship and you are going to _find_ my daughter."

Dan stared at him. He blinked. Then again and continued to stare for what felt like a good minute.

"...what?"

"You heard me. You're going to find my daughter. You helped get her killed? Well, then, you're going to help bring her back to us. It's the least you could do, right? Or were those words out there to my _younger_ heartbroken daughter empty?"

Dan really did frown at him this time. What in the hell? Yes, he was sorry, but that didn't mean he wanted to be dragged into this crazy magic quest- adventure- _whatever the hell it was_. Gods, why did this always happen to him? _Why_ did he get himself into this?

"Look, yeah, I _am_ sorry," said Dan, looking down at Kai. He was a couple inches taller than

Kai, the captain staring up icily at him, as if just the sight of Dan was enough to get under his skin. "But I'm not going to go on a wild goose chase trying to _find_ her. She could be _anywhere in the world_."

"You found us just fine."

"You're a ship. Of course you were easy to find. She's _one_ girl-"

"That you know you can find. You're a bounty hunter and I know what you do. Don't take me for an idiot." Kai crossed his arms. "You could find her. It will take some work, but I'm sure you have the skill sets to do it. The connections even."

Well, he wasn't _wrong_. But how far along was this going to go?

"I'm not your errand boy."

"No, you're not," said Kai, his voice deadly calm. "But you are the guy who's going to do this for me and my family."

" _I don't want to get involved_ ," Dan said just as calm and firm.

Not anymore than he already was that is.

Kai stepped closer to him. Step after step until they were inches apart and Kai was glaring up into his face. "You _will_ go out there and find my daughter. And if you don't? You better believe I'm coming after you. If I don't, then an assassin will and, yeah, _I_ definitely have those connections. You'll find a knife over your throat courtesy from the Pirate Lord of the Amaterasu Sea, _coward_. I'll admit that I don't care about it as much as the other lords might, but it sure does come in handy. You're not slinking away from this. You'll do it or I'll cut you from nose to navel. You run away? You're dead. You _hurt her in anyway?_ You're dead _slowly_."

Dan's lip curled and he didn't flinch at the captain nose to nose with him. "And why can't you do it _yourself?_ You don't trust me and I don't trust you. So, why trust me with her at all?"

Kai stepped away and looked at him for a long moment.

"I'm not a hunter like that. I don't have the same skills to track her down like you can. As for trusting you? You're right. I don't trust you by a long shot, hence the threats that are, believe me, not idle. But I don't think you're a killer either. No, not a killer. Not by choice." Kai turned to walk away now. "I just think you're spineless."

* * *

My, this chapter was a ton of fun to write! Writing Tianmei is a blast honestly and all the way through there was some exploration of dynamics here. I have to say though that Dan and Kai's "talk" was probably my favorite. We haven't seen them interact quite as much since Dan first got on board, but it's clear that Kai isn't exactly thrilled with him around. Still, he recognizes that Dan can accomplish things Kai can't quite as efficiently- and he's willing to put him to work. (More like make him.) Whereas Dan is still very resistant of _all of this_. Both emotionally, mentally and physically. This is more than he's used to in all three departments.

Thank you to everyone who drops a review here! It really means a lot to me and this fic has been slowly picking up in response and it just really is something I love to see! I would love to continue hearing those reviews from you guys and it really keeps me writing and keeps me motivated! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	13. The Mermaids

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 ** **The Mermaids  
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* * *

Dan was looking through his small bag of food Daw had prepared for his little quest, muttering in his native tongue of Nerrivik. Not that Kai cared. He ignored the boy for the most part except for a time or two.

"Hey, I can understand the swear words you know," Kai called back to him.

Dan ignored him right back, swearing even more now. Nukko stood near him, talking quietly and seemingly trying to comfort the kid. At least somebody liked him because they'd deeply established that Kai sure didn't. Couldn't.

"So, Cap, tell me again why you're sending Dan to find Nima?" Yung asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's got the skills to do it, Yung. Connections. All that," said Kai for the third time. "I've already said that."

Yung frowned. "Okay, but why him? Surely, we can go find Nima ourselves."

"I don't want to chance it… who knows what that witch has cooking. And we'll be looking for her, but we'll be looking for this sword thing too. Otaku's been reading through his books, but nothing as of late. Same for Gyatso. They might have to stop by somewhere and look for more resources."

Yung crossed his arms, leaning against the desk that Kai had been glued to since he'd gotten up that morning. He poured over maps of all sizes and kinds just trying to think of possibly places that maybe, just maybe, Nima could have ended up, but he'd come to the conclusion that there was just no way he was going to be able to know that. It didn't matter where Nima wanted to be at. If the witch said she was going a certain place, then that was where she'd be at. Still, he was willing to bet she was in a town on the coast of the Amaterasu Sea. Gold Coast farthest most likely. They'd port in as many cities as they could until they could figure out what was this thing Tianmei had sent Nima to look for.

"I'm just surprised is all," said Yung. "I'd imagine your first priority would be to find her first by any means. I guess what I'm saying is that seems smarter than to send, well… don't get me wrong, I don't think he's a bad guy, but he's a stranger. Are you sure about this?"

"No, I'm really not. Yung, do you think I'm sure about anything right now?" snapped Kai, stamping a palm on the desk. "I'm not sure about a damn thing, okay?"

Yung uncrossed his arms, his brows shooting up. "Hey, I'm not trying to get under your skin or anything, okay, kiddo? This just doesn't seem like you. People have always been your first priority…" He put a hand on Kai's shoulder. "I've known you a long time. I mean, this might be a dumb question, but what's eating at you?"

Kai hung his head and sighed. He deflated. "Sorry… I'm sorry… I just…." He felt his mouth go dry. "I'm sorry. You're fine. It's just that all I want is to go find her, but something in me tells me that I need to trust- well, not trust, but let this guy go find her. Like I know he can do it and bring her back. Maybe- I have so much to make up for. If I can do my best to help her find this sword she needs to find, then she doesn't have to do it all alone."

"Kai…" Yung tried to smile. "She's not alone. Whether we find her first or not. You know that. She has you and Jinora and her brother and sister, me, her uncles… she's never been alone."

"She was when she died," said Kai, looking away from Yung as his heart shattered again for the thousandth time. Nima had died alone. Or, at least, without any familiar face that had loved her all her life. She'd looked into Quil's eyes as she died and he- he wasn't sure he could forgive himself for that. Ever.

"Kai, you didn't-"

"Don't tell me it wasn't my fault. It was and you know it was. We all do. I messed up. I messed up big time. Because of me, my daughter died and only by a goddamn miracle is she alive because somebody had to bring her back to life. If that's even true. We still don't know if that witch is lying or not, but I have a hunch that she isn't." Kai stood up straight, letting out a shaky breath. "That's why this kid is going to go get her. When she gets home, we'll be ahead of the game. This is just all about being faster. Fast as our ship is, he's faster as a single man hopping from place to place at the drop of a hat. Our vessel and amount of bodies slows us down. You know that Nima's a fast, wily girl. She's resourceful. She can get on the move really quick. We need somebody who knows just how to keep their nose to the ground and can keep up with her. That's why I'm sending him. He knows what's in store if he doesn't do what I tell him."

"...which is what?"

"That someone with a well intentioned knife will visit him if he runs away or hurts her."

Yung stared at him for a long, silent moment. Kai could just feel Yung's eyes narrowing at him.

"Kai. That's not- you don't do that kind of thing. You're threatening to kill him?"

"And? I've killed a fair amount of people by this point and it's not something I'm promising to do. If he doesn't ditch us or do anything stupid then I won't have to call on any favors. I'm sure some assassin will be more than happy to take a request from a pirate lord."

"You'd send an assassin after him?" Yung shook his head in disbelief. "Do you hear yourself?"

"I do. And if this is what I have to do to get Nima back then I'll do it."

"You can't do this, Kai."

"Watch me."

Yung took Kai by the arm and turned him so that the two men were looking at each other. "Kai, please, don't let this turn you into something you're not. You didn't mean to let this happen."

"But I did," he said, rolling up a map and tucking it in his waistband as he walked away from Yung and the desk. "And I'll do whatever I have to do to fix it."

"Are you going to bring my sister back?"

Dan looked up. It was the boy, Rama, staring at him with eyes that were probably scrutinizing more often than not. He noticed that about the kid.

Dan assumed he got it from his dad because his mother actually seemed to be able to go on without acting like a smartass executioner for two seconds. That much he appreciated. She was even trying to be nice to him, in fact, despite everything.

"Yeah," Dan managed to say.

"Can you tell her I miss her?"

Again, Dan looked up at the boy from stuffing his travel sack, but this time, he looked at Rama longer. Instead of scrutinizing or wary, Rama was just looking at him plain as day. The question was so direct, so level, that Dan had to stop.

Dan blinked.

The kid wasn't at all afraid to ask that.

It took him mildly by surprise, he supposed. All this time, the kid seemed like he wouldn't know how to ask that type of thing of somebody. Then again, perhaps the events of recent had kicked in some kind of innate no nonsense nature. It was slightly jarring.

He nodded.

"I can," said Dan.

Rama nodded back and his body seemed to relax, his shoulders letting loose and the kid not standing quite so pin straight. What the hell this was all about, Dan wasn't sure, but he did know now that probably hadn't been the easiest thing to ask. Or why, in hindsight, it needed to be asked at all. He didn't need to know. Like the book of flowers Taani had shown him, he didn't really think he deserved to know. And, frankly, knowing would make all of this even more uncomfortable than it already was.

He also didn't exactly want to be a ride for other people's pain if he were perfectly honest. Of course, he'd said he was sorry to Taani, but he wasn't used to all of these… feelings. It was easy to simply shut things out of your mind when they were far less than pleasant to him no matter what someone else might tell him. But that had always been concerning himself. This was the first time he didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. Technically, he did, but he also felt like a bit of a monster choosing to ignore them.

Damn it all to hell he did not like this.

"I'll tell her," Dan promised anyway, standing up and throwing the sack over his shoulder. "She probably knows though."

"Tell her anyway," said Rama and then he walked away.

Just like that. He wasn't going to see if Dan absolutely promised to do so. Whether that was, trust, indifference or the extent of his courage Dan wasn't sure.

Leaning on the gunwales, Nukko had his arms crossed. "Thanks for that. I think he really needed to hear it," he said in Nerrivik. "For all that mouth of his, he's a pretty sincere kid."

Dan sighed. "It's fine," he grunted, responding to him in the same tongue. Still, he cursed, " _Nakra_ \- I just don't know how your captain can send me out on a wild mongoose chase. This is ridiculous. How am I supposed to find a girl that nobody knows is actually even alive?"

Nukko pursed his lips. "The cap's desperate."

"I can see that."

"Okay, then, don't think about him. Think about her mother. And her sister. Taani's very appreciative. Didn't she give you one of her smaller stuffed animals earlier this morning?"

Indeed, Dan was very surprised to have Taani come right up to him and put a small stuffed rabaroo on top of his pack. She blinked at him and patted the rabbit, indicating to him that she apparently wanted him to take it. After he managed to give her a thanks, she just patted the rabbit again and walked away to be with Momo on the other side of the ship.

"A rabaroo," grunted Dan.

"Aww." Nukko grinned. "That was one that Nima gave her."

Dan rubbed his forehead with a poorly stifled groan. Great. More memories. Didn't these people have scrapbooks they could keep within the privacies of their own rooms? Not giving them to him? Were the gods punishing him? Was that it? He got it. He'd never work for a slave trader again so long as he should live and he meant that very sincerely.

He could do without anymore signs.

Still, the rabaroo was tucked securely in his pack where it couldn't fall out.

Nukko put a hand on Dan's shoulder. "Hey, kid… I get that this isn't exactly something you're up for. I get that you didn't sign up for, well, any of this… but if it's any consolation, I want to thank you for doing it." He put a hand out. "It's kind of a big task. Do I think you kind of owe it to us? Well… a little bit. But still. It does mean a lot. It means everything."

Dan looked at the older man for a moment.

He could not do this with these people. He was not- This was not his alley. Though he remained quiet, he looked at Nukko, cut his eyes down to his hand, then back at him. Even if he didn't know what to say, he took Nukko's hand and shook it. A strong, steady handshake.

Nukko then smiled, nodding and clapping Dan on the shoulder.

"We'll be docking soon. You should get ready. Get whatever maps you need together. They cost an arm and a leg in town."

"So… Yung just told me about your guy's… talk."

Kai stood with his back turned to them on the quarterdeck, watching the waves the ship left in it's wake. Gently, yet firmly, Jinora put a hand on his shoulder. She turned him to her, frowning at him.

"Captain, you can't be serious," she said. "I thought we agreed not to kill him."

He ran a hand through his hair, frowning right back at her.

"I just needed to get him motivated, Gyatso."

"Do you mean it?"

"If he crosses us, then yes, I do mean it."

Jinora stared at him. She could see the dark in his eyes, the bags, how tired he seemed both physically and emotionally. She could understand it. After all, had she not been the one to carry Nima for nine months? Given birth to her?

She'd lost just as much as he had. They had lost her together.

It wasn't as if she were going to be forgiving herself either.

"Kai…" She hardly ever called his name so she wasn't surprised when it made him look right at her. "Please don't do this. This isn't who you are. Yung's worried about you. I'm worried about you. Your son is. So is Taani. We all are."

Kai shrugged her shoulder off and began pacing. "I don't know what you all want me to do. Just- just let it go? Just forget that I did this?" he snapped. "How am I-"

"I lost her too!" Jinora finally cried, throwing her hands up. "Are you forgetting that I'm her mother? I carried her in my body! I gave birth to her! You don't think I'm suffering just as much as you? I'm just as much at fault-"

"Gyatso, no it's not. It's mine-"

"No, we both had a part in this. Neither of us did enough. And the more… the more you do this I just can't…"

The tears finally came and suddenly her cheeks felt hot. She bit her lip and looked away even when she saw his crestfallen face and felt his arms around her.

"Ssh," he soothed. "Hey, I'm sorry…. It's okay, I'm sorry, alright? Please don't cry. I'm just-"

"I know. It's just that I am too…" She put her arms around him. "It's killing me too, but I don't want this to change you. I don't know if I could lose you too. The twins still need their dad and I don't just mean physically here."

She felt him bury his face in her shoulder and sigh. "I know," he said, his words muffled against her. "I'm not going to kill the kid. I promise. I may not… care for him, but I won't. He's just such a coward."

"That's not for you to say though, love," she said gently. "You don't know how he feels. How many times has somebody judged you?"

She could feel him pause, taking her words into consideration. After a moment, he straightened up, his arms still loosely around her. He shook his head. "He still doesn't care"

"Love, he apologized to Taani of all people. I think he does, but perhaps he doesn't know how to show it? Or even deal with it? You know all about that. Don't be so hard to judge."

"I know I shouldn't," he said bitterly. "I know it's not fair. I just… gods, I can't help it when I know that he helped Quil find us. He helped Quil. I'm not sure I can bring myself to like someone who would agree to help the likes of him."

Jinora sighed. Well, she couldn't change the man's feelings and if she ever thought to force him then she probably wouldn't be the person who he loved enough to marry. "Okay, then, you don't have to like him. But don't hurt him. Please, Captain, just don't do that to him or yourself."

"I won't," he promised, nodding. "Not without a reason at least. But I won't be telling him that. Let him sweat it out. We still need him to find Nima."

"You could have just tried asking him, you know."

Kai just grunted. She had a feeling he didn't really care for that option.

-:-:-:-

The beach was lonesome except for the waves flirting with the shore and the birds at sea calling to the day. Just perfect. Nobody would see Nima dragging this big basket of just about every fruit known to man down here. If anybody asked, she was having a picnic for one.

She had papaya and apples and kumquats and even some kiwi's all piled into this big old basket she stashed from the library's storeroom - which she snuck out of just as the librarian had come back that morning.

Staring at the ocean and back at her basket, she bit her lip. Now, how exactly was she supposed to get the mermaids to know she had fruit? She doubted they would smell it in some kind of way. They weren't dogs. Rather, she took out a peach, looking it over for a minute to make sure it hadn't gotten bruised.

She looked back at the ocean, then, on a whim, chucked the fruit out as far as she could. The peach landed far from her, sinking beneath the surface. When some time passed by and nothing happened, she did it again, except with an apple this time. This time, the apple floated over the water, the red a clear marked spot against all that blue even from this far away.

More time passed and the apple just floated on the water, floating further and further from her as the tide pulled it out to sea. Not having the heart to throw anymore of all this good fruit out to an empty cause, she sat down on the sand, pulling her knees up to her chest with a sulk. This was a waste of time wasn't it? She'd used one of her gold coins to buy all of this off a cheap merchant who was more than happy to give her all the fruit he had for such a high payment. Now, she only had one gold coin left and what if-

The apple was pulled underneath.

Nima blinked.

It'd gone just completely under. Not simply sunk. She knew when something just sunk and, for the record, she also knew that apples floated on water. No, she'd seen something take the apple, pulling it down too fast for natural causes. Enough years of her life had been spent on lookout duty in the crow's nest watching large fish taking things from the surface of the water and observing things sink, to know instinctively when something was sinking and something was being taken under.

Hoping and maybe hoping in vain, she quickly stood up and grabbed another apple, throwing it as far as she possibly could. It landed close to where the first apple had been taken. Soon, it too simply fell into the water too quickly. One more time, she did the same thing except she threw a pear this time.

Gods, she was glad nobody was down here to see this. She probably looked incredibly silly.

The pear disappeared just like the apples.

Of course, the fruits could have just been subjected to nature, the waves taking them beneath the surface and maybe she was just succumbing to wishful thinking and desperation. Still, she grabbed her basket and ran into the water, her dress getting wet as the level hit her knees. It could be damned. The water would dry after some time in the hot sun, but this may be her only chance to talk to a mermaid.

Or…

Or whatever it was taking her fruit.

Truly, she was desperate not to care that maybe some magical man eating fish might be at the other end, waiting for her. She wouldn't be surprised.

She called out anyway.

"Wait! I have more fruit! If you're a mermaid, I'll give it all to you! I-I just really need to ask you a question!" She called out over the waves, the sun glinting on each turn of water. "I promise! Here!"

She took another pear out, laying it out to float at her knees. For a minute, she watched it float away from her. For another, her hopes were dashed when nothing happened.

Another moment later, however, she nearly peed on herself when something dark came near her, swirling beneath the water. It came out of the water, popping it's head up just enough to look at her.

It was a she.

A she with long dark hair, fair skin and brilliant blue eyes. Out of the water she came, snatching the pear from the surface and holding it up out of the water in her palm. Then, Nima saw her tail. It glinted beneath the surface of the water behind her, a lovely green color that blended nicely with the cerulean of the sea and the sand below.

The mermaid looked at her, achingly beautiful like all the legends told. She stared at Nima intently, as if evaluating a child who did not know what they were doing.

"You are a peculiar young one," said the mermaid finally, a lovely melody behind her voice. She still held onto the pear. "Why do you throw this fruit to us? We are not complaining, of course. We are grateful. But you say that you require our knowledge. For what do you go to such lengths for?"

As she talked, two more mermaids came out of the water, one with brown skin and blue eyes, another with tan skin and brown eyes. All with dark hair and all enviously gorgeous.

"I-I need to ask you a question…?" Nima began weakly. "I'll give you this entire basket of fruit if I can get an answer that helps me with this thing I'm supposed to be finding? You can have it all."

The mermaids looked at each other, talking in a language Nima had never heard. Mermadian? Mermesian? Mermish? Whatever language mermaids spoke.

"We like this," said the mermaid. "Ask your question. We will provide."

Nima breathed a sigh of relief. At least somebody was being cooperative with her. Admittedly, when the mermaid initially came up, she almost thought it was Tianmei that would come out of the water. That scared her more than she was prepared for.

"Okay, see, I'm in this little predicament… I have to find this thing for this witch because I kind of owe her?" Nima explained. "But to find this thing, I need to find other things and to find that thing, I need to find another thing. Does that make sense?"

"Maybe," said the mermaid.

"I need to find this thing called the Charter of Stars."

They blinked at her. The lead mermaid appeared astonished. For a moment, she didn't speak and Nima wondered if she may have said something wrong, but the mermaid only frowned. The other two mermaids, looked at each other.

"We will not help you with this," said the mermaid. When Nima opened her mouth to plead, the mermaid shook her head. "Only those who look for death seek this. From the name you called it you seek for the goddess' treasure, do you not?"

"Yes," breathed Nima. "But please. I need it! Why can't I-"

"Only those who seek that treasure call it by such a name. We will not help you in this endeavor."

Nima almost cried. What if the witch decided that she wasn't capable of finding the sword pieces? What if she just couldn't find this charter that would lead her to the pieces?

"Please. I'm begging you. I don't want this thing! I don't even want to find it! But if I don't then the witch is going to kill me and my family still thinks I'm dead and…" Her voice cracked and she croaked, feeling tears well up in her eyes and her face getting warm. She probably looked pathetic, but she didn't care. This was the only lead she had and now it was going nowhere. "Please, I just want to be with my family and go home and I can't go back until I help her. Please, please, please…"

When none of them said anything, her lip wobbled and she swallowed hard.

They weren't going to help her. The way they looked at her told her that was that. Her heart cracked a little and she quite nearly dove underwater just to feel something other than this kind of hopelessness.

Taking a shaky breath, she held out the basket.

The mermaid stared at the fruit. "What is this?"

"The fruit. Y-you can have the fruit," she said meekly. "You met me and let me ask my question. It's all yours."

Now, she was going to have to figure out another way to find the charter. Perhaps there was a map shop around here with some kind of vague lead she could follow. Probably not, but it was her next best shot.

The mermaid slowly took the basket from her, staring at her warily. Behind her, the mermaid with the brown skin and blue eyes said something in their language, but Nima turned to leave. She didn't want anybody to see her talking to them. With her luck, she'd end up starting a mermaid hunt around these parts.

Just as she turned to leave and return to the shore, the mermaid who'd originally come to her spoke again, "The charter is different for everybody," she began. "But it is not far. It is right here in Huiyanshan. Are you a navigator?"

"...what?" asked Nima, blinking. Were they really helping her? Her spirits lifted a little and she almost cried again. Thank the gods.

"Do you have the ability to navigate oceans?"

Nima nodded.

"Then you will find it," said the mermaid as they began to leave, casting a strange looking net over the basket and wrapping it up. "You will find it, young one. We thank you for the fruit. Stay safe."

Then they left before Nima could even say thank you.

* * *

It's 4:30 in the morning as I type this so I don't have much to say, but Kai's definitely going to his bad place again. Or rather. He's on the peak of it. Meanwhile, Nima just wants to go home, but this impossible task of hers has such far fetched things for her to do and I'm really excited to get to more of this charter of stars bit. The mermaids say it's right there in Huiyanshan, but I doubt Nima will find it where she's expecting to.

As always, I really love it when you guys drop those reivews! Continued support for this fic is really appreciated since it doesn't quite get the same amount of attention as my other stories, but for those who do pay attention to it, I great appreciate it! When you guys review, it really keeps me going and motivated to keep writing this story! It makes me feel like it's so worth it! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	14. Worried Twins

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Worried Twins  
****

* * *

Rama watched the older boy leave. He looked at his sister beside him watching too.

"You think Dad's really gonna hurt him if he ditches us?" He asked, glancing back at Danuma as he disappeared into the crowd swarming around Shukhekou in the middle of the day.

Taani nodded. "Yes," she said, her voice so soft and toneless. It was always like that. Like a gentle wind incarnate into sound. She hardly spoke, but when she did it was most often to him. A lot of times, she gathered whatever gossip was going on around the ship - most of their family seemed to have a hard time detecting her when she was just around the corner. He couldn't blame them. Taani was like a phantom she was just so quiet.

By the end of the day, all that gossip was usually shared with him and he did the same with her. Together, they could usually piece together whatever it was people were trying to hide from them.

They were twelve. Not stupid.

The latest bit of news had been a threat their father made to the new guy that had boarded their ship. Initially, Rama hadn't had much interest in him aside from pure rage, but once that had subsided, nothing of real worth made him want to get to know the guy. However, that had changed somewhat when he apologized to Taani. Anybody who apologized to Taani, in earnest, couldn't be so bad, could they?

That being said, he didn't forget about what he'd heard concerning Nima. He knew what part the guy had played in his sister's death, but perhaps he had decided to be not quite so angry when he stopped being upset with his father. After all, he knew his father hadn't _meant_ for this all to happen… no matter how much it hurt and tore a hole inside of him.

Perhaps Danuma was the same way.

Either way, the guy wasn't on his total shit list. Well, not anymore. His main concern, however, was for his father. Sure, his father had made many threats in the time that Rama was alive, but he'd never been one to threaten assassination. Not unless the person _really_ deserved it. Like Captain Quil. He definitely really, really deserved it for what he'd done to his sister, to his family… for tormenting Nima even when he wasn't around. It was no secret that she didn't sleep at night all too well.

More often than not, he'd spot her walking around at night when he just needed a drink of water. He never asked about it. At the time, he never cared. Now, he wondered if that had anything to do with how they had all ended up in this position.

"What are you two doing?"

Rama looked over and up his shoulder at his tall, brawny Uncle Imaru, his uncle's arms crossed over his chest with his brows raised.

"Nothing," said Rama. He could also see Taani shaking her head out of the corner of his eye.

His uncle raised a brow, a smile playing on his lips. "Oh, yeah?" He reached over and took the two under each arm. "Or are you two just being _nosy_?"

Rama grinned for what felt like the first time in a forever. It was such a normal thing. Such a normal, little thing. "Like you and Uncle Lefty?"

"Uncle Appa," he heard Taani mention quietly from her side.

"Oh, yeah, we can't forget him," laughed Rama. "You three are like a news gazette."

"Better to keep an ear out for you two muskrats," said Imaru, ruffling his hair as he finally let go of Rama with a playful shove. Taani, on the other hand, stuck to his side, perfectly content to be hugged by her favorite gardening buddy at the moment. "Now, then. In all seriousness, what _were_ you two talking about? I know you got chores to do."

"That guy," said Rama, pointing toward town.

"Danuma?"

Rama nodded. "Yeah, well, you know since Dad threatened him and all. I'm just wondering if Dad really _will_ do it."

Imaru frowned. "How did you hear about that?"

"How did _you_ hear about it?"

Imaru opened his mouth as if to protest, but shut it and shrugged affirmatively. "I guess you gotta point there." He sighed and crouched down with a wince so that he was more on level with them. "Look, kids. I know you're worried about your dad. Truth is, we are too. But we also have to trust him. Get me?"

"Trying," Taani said.

Uncle Imaru pursed his lips, he put a hand on her head. "I know you are… it's okay to be worried you know. Your dad thinks about you two and your sister more than anybody else on earth. Except maybe your mom and even then. Maybe you should tell him you're worried. Maybe it will help him more hearing it from you than it is hearing it from us."

"You think?" asked Rama.

"Maybe. I don't know. But what I _do_ know is that he loves his three kids more than he loves anything else in the world. Your place in his heart is too special from him not to hear it."

Rama looked at his sister. She stared back at him with that same blank, sleepy expression, but, after a moment, she raised her chin just the slightest. Ever so slightly in the way only Rama really ever noticed. He nodded.

She thought it was a good idea.

"Okay," he said. "Okay, we'll go tell him. You think we should talk to mom first?"

"It can never hurt, can it? She wants to know what her babies are up to and I think she could really stand to hear your voices right about now, anyway."

He also could agree to that. It also occurred to him that he should probably apologize to her for his outburst on _that_ day. She would understand. After all, she was his mother and she probably knew how he felt, but it still seemed like something he should do. It felt almost wrong not to now that he'd simmered down about the whole thing even if Nima being gone still hurt like nothing else had.

Nobody did this, but the captain who put his sword through her body.

-:-:-:-

Before dinner, his mother had a tendency to pick up a book and find somewhere below deck to read if she was done with her chores. Most of the time, Rama knew where to find her. He knew her favorite spots. If she wasn't in her room, then she was maybe in the dining hall and if she wasn't there, then she was usually tucked into one of the storerooms - preferably the one with the bigger window than the rest for the better lighting since that one never failed her, even when it was cloudy outside.

When he was little, before he could read very well, sometimes he would beg her for a story before dinner and she'd take him to one of her favorite reading spots and read to him any story he chose. There were times she didn't even need a story. She would use myths she knew or just make up a tale on the spot. No matter what she chose, it always made him pay attention.

He and Taani found her that day in the room Taani and Uncle Imaru would use to garden. The flower pots were reinforced onto their tables and the tables carved into the floor or the wall for stability. His mother sat in the light of a window next to a blue moon blossom, reading one of the historical novels about a pirate and a princess she seemed to love so much. Honestly, he was just glad she wasn't reading the one she got _his_ name from. It was an older, incredibly corny romance story she loved and the hero's name had been Ramashan.

Lucky him.

The twins knocked on the doorway as they entered the room and their mother looked up, blinking for a moment before smiling weakly. She was still so tired, Rama could tell, but she smiled for them. If anything just to give them a sense of peace.

"What're you two doing down here?" She asked, putting her book down. "Done with chores already?"

Rama nodded. "Yeah, we didn't have a lot today, but um…" He exchanged a brief glance with Taani. "Can we ask you something?"

His mother raised a brow slightly. "Of course," she frowned slightly. "What about?"

"Dad."

He could see her stiffen and freeze. Like she hadn't been quite expecting that, but then she unfroze despite the tension still present in the way her jaw clenched and he could also tell she hadn't been surprised. Part of him wondered if this had been one of her bigger fears as of late.

"Rama, Taani-"

"We just wanted to know if he…" Rama swallowed hard. "If he's really going to hurt that guy, Danuma… I mean. Is he really going to kill him?"

Their mother looked at them both for a while, then, she sighed and waved them both to come over to her. They obliged her and let her take a hand from each of them into hers, her eyes over bright. "You two know that you're father has killed. He's a pirate captain. We're pirates. It comes with the life."

"He's angry," said Taani softly. "Scary."

"Your father is having a hard time with all of this. We all are. You know he blames himself for all the things that Nima is going through."

Rama noted the way she talked about Nima. He didn't blame her for choosing to believe Nima was still alive. In perfect honesty, he did too. If anything, because it gave him some kind of hope to hang onto. Then, the grief and guilt weren't so terrible all the time.

"But he seems to want to kill Danuma _just because_ he's angry," said Rama. "Taani thinks he's a good guy. He didn't… well, he didn't _mean_ for any of this to happen. It's… Dad doesn't like killing. That's all. It's weird for him to use that threat first, isn't it? Not even a warning? I'm just..."

He just didn't want his father to become somebody he didn't know.

As tears trickled down her cheeks, his mother stood up and wrapped her arms around them. They did the same, holding her tight for both her own sake and for their own. Rama could hear her sniffles and held her even tighter. She was scared too.

"Your father isn't going anywhere. He's just trying to cope with this," she said tearfully. "He's… you don't have to worry."

"You are," Rama told her quietly.

"I always worry about your father." She sighed. "And… I know you are too. Both of you. Did you want to talk to him? Is that it?"

Pulling back from the hug, the twins nodded. Of course she would guess what they wanted.

"He's not going to get upset. I don't think he will, at least. After what…" She paused for a still moment before going on. "After what happened with your sister I'm pretty sure the last thing he wants to do is get mad at you."

Another moment of silence lapsed as Rama looked at his mother. She hadn't been sleeping well, he noted, and she was more than just physically tired. He could tell that she'd cried a lot in private, even now that the hope Nima was alive had everybody all started up. The crew wasn't quite so sad as before, faith keeping the place moving around almost. If that witch was telling the truth… if his sister was really alive again...

Taani beat him to the next question he was going to ask.

"Are you okay?" She looked up at their mother with those eyes so, so grey. Silver and a blank, sleepy stare looked back at their mother, but it telling just how concerned Taani had to be to ask that question. It took conscious effort to decide whether she should ask some things or not, Rama knew. He couldn't say he got in completely, but it was like she didn't know how to ask them. Like she knew what she wanted to say and how she was feeling, but how to physically get the words out of her mouth didn't always make sense right away.

Their mother smiled at her and bent down a little to kiss Taani on the forehead. "I'm fine, baby. Tired maybe, but fine. Why don't you go find your father though? I'm sure hearing what you two have to say will bring him back a little."

"What about you?" asked Rama. He still hadn't let go of her hand.

"I," she began, stroking her thumb on the back of his hand. "Will be fine. It's your father I'm worried about, I admit. He's…" She showed more hesitation before she went on. Guilt flashed behind her eyes. "Your father goes to these… dark places sometimes. And they can be scary. Even for me."

Rama's brows furrowed. "What kind of dark places?"

His mother looked at both of them. "Places where he blames himself for everything wrong with the world," she sighed. "And stops caring about himself. What happens to him. He's been dealing with that place for longer than he's even known me."

"Why?" Taani asked.

"Because your father had a very hard childhood," said his mother. "But… I can't tell you both everything at once. But I promise, one day. One day soon we will sit you down and explain because it's high time you know."

Rama frowned slightly. "Why not now?"

"Because if I tell you now, I don't think your father will be able to handle it. Especially if I did it without him. It's his story to tell. Not mine. Please… try to understand. He loves you all so much. He just wants you to be happy, but it's just so hard for him to think you can have that with him around sometimes."

Rama let go of his mother's hand.

"I'm going to go talk to him."

-:-:-:-

They waited until nearly the end of the night before they chose to find their father. He was always the last one up aside from whoever was on lookout duty, but they wanted him to definitely be alone when they caught him. This was a conversation to be had between father and children.

Between grief-stricken, mourning father and children.

They were all emotionally tired and Rama wasn't even sure if he could cry anymore. He didn't cry often in public and he liked to be alone with his tears. It was comfortable crying in front of Taani, she wouldn't question him, but this was different. The tears were both for Nima dying and all the things he hadn't said to her. Still, he found his eyes already stinging when they approached their father coming down the stairs as he began heading for bed surely.

When he got to the bottom and stopped rubbing his eyes, he frowned seeing them. His hair was a little disheveled, like he'd been running his hands through it a lot.

"You two are up awfully late, aren't you?" Their father asked, raising a brow. "What's the matter?"

Surprisingly, Taani started first. "Talk."

Now, his father's other brow raised too. "Talk? As in you want to talk?"

She nodded and Rama reciprocated. "We wanted to talk to you about something. Can we?"

Their father blinked at them, but he walked closer and crossed his arms loosely. "Of course. Shoot, kiddo. Though I'm going to be honest, you kids are worrying the hell out of me so, please, don't beat around the bush."

Rama looked away for a moment, then back at him before it finally came. How would he even start this? He'd been thinking about it all day, but when the moment finally arrived he was… well, he was afraid. Not of his father, but _for_ him. What if he said something wrong? After everything… he just didn't want to hurt anyone more than they already were.

The moment of fear passed, however, when Nima and his mother crossed his mind.

If he said something wrong, then so be it.

"Are you really going to kill Danuma if he runs off?"

His father, like his mother, stiffened. Only with him, he stayed stiff and even froze for a good moment. The kids looked up at him, Rama probably more expectantly so.

"...why do you ask, kiddo?" Their father asked quietly.

"Because you're scaring me," Rama said frankly. Well, he did say he didn't want anyone beating around the bush. "Us. All of us."

"Son-"

"Don't lie to me," said Rama. "I'm not dumb."

"I know you're not, Rama, but this is so much more complicated than that," said his father, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But-"

"I won't believe you, you know. Even if you tell me you will. I won't. I don't."

His father almost looked taken aback, the smallest hint of a smile on his lips. "Yeah? Why not?"

"Because if you were serious, you would have probably sent Uncle Skoochy to go with him. Or somebody… but you didn't."

And Rama knew Uncle Skoochy would have done it too. He was loyal enough to his father to kill the guy who hunted them down in the first place even if he'd lightened up on Danuma after the apology to Taani. Uncle Skoochy, by nature, always had a terrible temper when finally provoked far enough.

His father sighed. "You're right," he said. "I didn't. And I'm not going to kill him. Your grandpa and your mom had a talk with me and talked me out of it. Honestly, if you asked me whether or not I was ever serious about it… well, I'd probably have to tell you no. But... I do wonder why you ask."

After all his frankness, Rama said in a small voice. "Cause' we love you."

HIs father's mouth immediately fell open just a little, then, he closed it and unfolded his arms. He walked up to them and wrapped an arm around each of them, rubbing their backs and putting his hands on their heads.

"Love you," repeated Taani, she nuzzled her head against her father's hand and her arms were around him the tightest, squeezing him so that his father almost lost his balance.

Rama felt hot tears slide down his nose. God, he probably hadn't cried so much since he was a baby. "We don't want you to go anywhere…"

"I'm not-"

"I mean," sniffed Rama. "I don't want you to be someone else. Or go to that bad place. Just… come back."

He felt the air from his father's lung leave him before filling again rapidly and bent down to kiss the top of their heads. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. I'm right at the edge, but I promise I'm going to hang on. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here," he repeated again and again, quieter and quieter until it was but a whisper between the three of them. "I'm here, I'm here, I'm here…"

He held them so tight it almost hurt and they did the same.

"Here too," said Taani into their father's shirt. She said it again. "Here too."

"And I thank the gods every day for that. Don't you dare think anything else. I love you two. All three of you. Four of you. All of you. I love you guys so much I can barely stand it and I promise I'm doing my best. It's just hard and I won't lie to you, sometimes... I-I slip. But… thank you. For the hand."

They gave him a reassuring squeeze and even when they pulled back, he kept his arms around them and walked them back to their rooms, tucking them in like he used to when they were just younger children and there was a comfort in it for all of them.

That night, Rama went to bed able to breathe.

-:-:-:-

Kai slipped into the room silently. When he did, Jinora was already in bed, but not asleep. She sat up and patted the spot beside her as he slipped on a pair of night pants. Neither of them said anything, Jinora curling into the crook of his arm and he just stared at the ceiling for a long while.

Finally, in a cracking voice, he uttered, "I"m trying."

"I know you are, love."

"Gyatso, I can't just turn it off, you know that."

"I know, love" he heard her say. "But I think Rama and Taani just wanted to give you more incentive to keep trying and not to give up. I… didn't give them details though."

He swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. "Thank you. I'll… one day. I'll tell them everything one day, I'm just not ready. Not with everything going on and Nima possibly…"

"Being alive? You can say it, Captain. It gives us hope."

"But what if that just ends up letting us all down? What if it's hope for nothing?"

He felt her take a deep breath and sigh. "Then, at least, it helped us heal. If only a little bit, right? I guess, honestly, I don't have the answer, but I have to believe that it will do some kind of good. I'm just as scared of that as you are, I'm afraid. But at least, we're scared together. At least we're not alone."

"No…" he said, his eyes feeling heavy now. "We're not… I never feel totally alone when I've got you, to be honest…"

He felt a shift in the way her hair laid on his chest, but he didn't look down. Instead, he leaned his chin against her temple and fell asleep.

-:-:-:-

Nima officially hated riddles.

Why couldn't mythical creatures just say things outright? Was the charter in a store? Was it buried somewhere? Was it pinned to the wall of some random Huiyanshan citizen? In the past couple days, she'd scoured the city, spending half that time combing back through the library she slept in at night - apparently, the back window was an issue nobody knew about and it always seemed to be open just a tiny crack. Just enough for her to break into the library whenever the librarian left for the evening.

For a little while, she wondered if the mermaids were wrong. What if it wasn't in this town, but, like, the next town over…? She knew it was a weak idea, but she was borderline ready to entertain it. Then again, how would she know more than a couple of gods only knew how old mermaids with supposedly accurate knowledge of an age old sword? She wished she had her Uncle Otaku with her. He would know where to go from here instead of going from random far fetched idea to random far fetched idea.

Studying, however, had never been her thing. Even when her mother would be teaching her how to read growing up, she would always have a hard time with it, not exactly feeling like she was the most intellectually inclined of all people. Not like her Uncle Otaku or Uncle Longshot or even Rama and her mother.

That all being said, she hadn't picked up a single piece of paper or a writing utensil anywhere. She wanted to send a letter, tell her family she was okay, but all kinds of fear stopped her. After a terrible while battling with herself on it, she concluded to just get on with her task and maybe consider sending a letter later on. Even then, perhaps she should just finish her task altogether before contacting them.

Then, they wouldn't have to get dragged into all of this.

Why make them work more over her?

She did wonder what had happened after she… expired. That knowledge was still something she was trying to get used to. If anything, she tried not to think about it as much, but it made her feel so small. Small and exposed. How much had happened in between her absence?

She wanted to know if her family was okay, but she was afraid to dare contact them. If Tianmei did anything to them because of her... she didn't know what she'd do.

But her biggest fear wouldn't stop rising in the back of her mind:

Did they miss her? Or did they just move on with their lives? Were they… okay without her?

A part of her wanted the answer to be yes, they didn't miss her. Yes, they had moved on and we're okay. But another part, the part that felt like a little helpless child as she sat with her knees to her chest on the shore, sand flirting with her toes and the sun warming her, hoped that the answer was no.

She wanted them to miss her. To be a little lost without her.

But shouldn't she always pray for their better well-being? Shouldn't she pray that they could just be fine without her in their lives and not dwell on whatever sadness may be?

In her heart of hearts, she knew the answer to that and, by gods, a seed of shame budded in her chest. After all the trouble she caused everybody around her, the answer should have been yes.

But, clearly, her lack of wishing for just that meant that it was a no and her heart sank.

With a final sigh, she got up and dusted the sand off of her, shoving down her guilt at her hope as she went to go search some of the main square stores for any signs of that charter.

* * *

This chapter was a little bit transitionary, but kind of important. It gave some much needed screentime to the twins and a little bit into other less looked at relationships like Imaru and the twins, a relationship I perceive to be quite close. Especially on Taani's side.

Don't have much to say here, but next chapter does definitely start with Dan's point of view and I'm having a lot of fun writing it right now!

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews. This story has been picking up more with the attention it gets, but I still humbly ask for your support and if you have anything to say, even if it's just pointing out something, please consider leaving a review! It really keeps me going and keeps me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	15. Seekers

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Seekers****

* * *

The only help Dan really had in all this was the girl's fame.

Nima Gyatso, dancer of many names and many admirers apparently. His first order of business was to go to a popular local bar since they usually had the best drinks and the best gossip, who was in town and who had seen what. It was one of his more basic starting places and people could grossly underestimate places like bars or taverns. Lots of people, alcohol and loose lips. Even the tightest of secrets could be spilled at a tavern if you asked the right person.

Frankly, he wanted to find this girl, get her home then get on with his life without her father actually carrying his threat out. He could believe that the Pirate Lord of the Amaterasu Sea would have him killed. Dan supposed he had every reason to. Still, that didn't mean he had to like the idea.

Or the man who came up it.

He'd been to Shukhekou before quite a few times as it was and knew the way to the best bars. _Spear's Tap_ was one of the most popular places around and he swore he remembered seeing a sketch or two of some dancers during one particular long job finding a man who'd stolen from an old pirate captain's personal quarters. The owner of the place was one of those who liked to put up pictures of those who had performed within the vicinity of the place. As it was, Nima's family said she actually usually performed in this part of town whenever they ported. Good. They knew her around these parts fairly well then.

It was hot and sticky, the bar even more so laced with the faint odor of alcohol, sweat and food during such a busy time of the day. He almost wrinkled his nose passing by a man leaving who'd clearly been there for a long time. Unwashed bodies everywhere. Some people came here every day, Dan remembered. Just as he himself had for a period of time. His leather hide black vest was fur trimmed, sewn in with the designs and styles of his tribe, but it still kept him cool, his arms exposed to the air and trousers loose. Reaching down, he undid it to his sternum, the clasps hidden where the vest joined and leaving the bear claw hanging from his neck in clear view. Places like this always made him slightly nervous concerning what on earth was on the floors. It wouldn't be the first time he stepped in someone's lunch come up and he was going to definitely check his boots when he left.

He went straight for the bar, needing a drink at this point anyway. The bartender, a rather short man, had to bend his neck to look up at him before Dan sat down and came down to eye level.

The bartender continued to wipe down his cups as he asked, "What'll it be, son?"

Dan almost twitched. He could clearly snap the guy in half. Was the 'son' bit seriously necessary?

"Baiju," he grunted.

The bartender half grinned as he went about pouring. "Strong stuff this early, huh? Long day already?"

Dan nodded. Long week more like. He muttered his thanks when the the drink came his way and downed it in a few good gulps, a faint burning gliding down his throat. It'd been a minute since he had a good drink and, well, now was a perfect time for it.

"I need to know something," he said, getting down to business. "You know that Gyatso girl? The dancer?" Best not to get too familiar. No need for anybody to ask too many questions. Let them just think he was a strong admirer or something like that.

The bartender whistled, grinning and gestured behind him to a slightly racy sketch behind him that Dan had been doing his best not to look at. He couldn't help but sigh a little.

"That one? You like her, eh? Can't blame you with a body like that." Dan didn't answer him. "Well, to get to your question, she's come in here before and she dances a lot near here…"

"Have you seen her around lately?"

"Lately? As in recently? Not personally, but a couple weeks ago a few fellows say she was wandering about."

Well, that was before she died so that was virtually useless to him.

"Not in the last week?"

"In the last week? No, no. I haven't heard anything. I mean, she might have been in town, but no word's reached here and I usually here when anybody of note is around. She's the daughter of that Pirate Lord, after all. Captain Kai, isn't it? Yeah and he's pretty damn famous so… nah. I doubt it. Not around these parts. Don't worry though, lad. I'm sure you'll get a chance to see her sometime. They sail this coast most of the year, I think."

Dan cursed. That didn't exactly mean she wasn't around _anywhere_ , but he was right. A person like her usually had her presence made known by one or two people. The kind of people who would notice usually carried the news to this place. He wasn't going to waste too much time around here, then.

After sliding over a copper coin, he got up from the stool and strode out of the bar, mercifully ready to be done with the stench of the place. He was going to have to find a bath house sometime before he left town. Maybe he would hear something around there too. For a moment, he wondered if he would find her wandering around a bath house, after all, he saw her body and she'd been a mess. She'd died of blood loss and it had been absolutely _everywhere_ on her person, her dress virtually soaked to a different color.

She would have gotten rid of her clothes more than likely and tried to lay low a little bit out of pure habit. Technically, she was a wanted criminal just by association, but he doubted the authorities really would do anything about her. Only the stiffest of law abiding men would try and arrest her. To the rest of the world, she was just a dancer.

He snatched off one of the sketches of her on his way out and folded it into a pocket. His next order of business was to check any local inns to see if anybody came by looking for a room. She'd need a place to stay and sleep for a night. From the looks of that portal, however, she was in some kind of storeroom. Probably didn't have the money and was stowing away anywhere she could find. There'd been a large bookshelf behind her and sitting furniture that he could remember seeing in the portal the witch showed them.

She was somewhere meant to be comfortable.

A tavern storeroom, an inn storeroom… but he hadn't seen any bedding. Books could have meant a library though. He would check there too before leaving.

There wasn't much he figured he would get out of this particular town since he figured that the witch dictated where Nima was going to go. From the way the witch talked though, she sounded as if she were leaving Nima to figure out the way to this quest. Why need help if you were guiding the person? Unless you didn't really know yourself and you weren't guiding them at all.

His mind was going a mile a minute, trying to make all the deductions he had to in order to make this all a little bit easier.

He would check all of those places first. That was his day one checklist. Then, he was going to go to approach his real lead.

-:-:-:-

The next morning, Dan traveled just outside of Shukhekou toward a scholarly looking building that overlooked the town. It was unmistakable and would have looked like a small university building to most. He'd mistaken it for something of that nature when he was sixteen almost seventeen. In the end, he ended up working there for a few months as he worked and cooked for the witches that lived and studied there.

The place was tall and white, surrounded by a lore of flora that were usually harvested for whatever was needed to supply their brews with their magic potency. None of the plants were particularly dangerous to animals though, he knew, and quite a few of the more animal centric witches made sure of that. He never had any hand in the actual magic side of it all, but working here had simultaneously eased out and smartened him up about witches in general. On one hand, he'd quickly learned that most of the time they just wanted to live in peace and make a living. On the other hand, he was also made aware of just how dangerous a witch's magic could truly be.

Which was a good bit why he wanted nothing to do with any of this, but whatever. Now, he was in it and he was very much stuck in this sticky situation he'd gotten himself into.

He came up to the large, white painted door, a strange looking door knocker with the face of a catagator. It's barbel whiskers formed to make an eccentric handle, but Dan didn't dare touch it.

"Hey."

The catgator doorknocker opened it's eyes and fixed him with an amused look. "Well, would you look at who it is. Hey, yourself. It certainly has been a while, hasn't it, grumpy boy? What brings you to my doorstep?"

The talking had long ceased to bother him. "I need to talk to Tingting and the others."

"Well, I can see that." The catgator rolled his eyes. "Most people don't come round' here unless they need some magic happenings. But, really, you're so rude. No 'Hi, Shenran, how's it going?' or even a little friendly greeting. Just 'hey' is all I get."

Dan grunted. "You gonna let me in?"

"Not with that attitude." Shenran frowned sympathetically, his bronze face moving at unnerving will. "What's wrong? You're grumpier than usual. What mess you in that you need to come find these ladies for help? You're such a loner, we thought we'd never see you again."

"I need to find someone. That's all. You'll probably find out more if you let me in."

"Ooh, appealing to my nosiness…" Shenran seemed to think about it for a moment. " _Well_ … alright. Come on in. They'll fancy seeing you anyway."

The door swung open, revealing a large hall brightly lit by glass orbs of light that floated about and minded their own business. Those were Tingting's doing and he knew better than to reach up and try to touch one of them. The orbs didn't really care to be touched and would go off and find somewhere else to be a light at if their personal space could not be respected.

He passed through the open spaces and the myriads of halls, all where witches recognized him and called their greeting. None of them seemed to expect him to answer them although he did try to nod at the ones he'd been somewhat more familiar with. He would find Tingting up high in one of the tower like he always did, going through maps and constellations as her powers dictated. She had a special relationship with the tides and the stars and spent most of her time dealing with one or the other.

The tower was the highest point on the entire residence, peaking toward the sky with a whimsical pagoda style top that curved at it's edges. With a flick of a wrist, often times, the witch occupying the space could open up the fine quality shutters, leaving full room to observe the sky at any angle. A balcony stretched out from an arched opening where he knew there was always a makeshift - and he used the term loosely with the spells used to construct it - glass stargazer.

Today, the room was dim, small glass orbs of light acting in the way of candles, and there was no Tingting.

Roaming the myriad of calendars and sky maps on the wall instead was a tall woman, the white of her skin clear even with the lack of light. Her skin was as white as her hair that long reached for the floor. He took a step into the room and, when she turned, he expected to see an elderly woman, but no. She turned and saw a young face and blue eyes he hardly ever saw on a face so pale.

"Hello," she said even while gracefully moving about. "Who might you be?"

For a moment, he was admittedly transfixed, but she looked at him again and he said, "Dan. I was looking for Tingting."

"Oh, she's about," said the woman mistfully. "My name is Centei since you were wondering."

Actually, he was about to ask that and he didn't like the little chill he got that she was implying she knew he had been. Not because it was common sense, but…

"Do you know where she might be?" he asked her. "I need her for something."

"Why would you happen to be looking for The Captain of the Waterbender's daughter?"

Dan loosed a breath. Okay, she was one of _those_ types of witches, wasn't she? In this house, he ceased to be surprised by anything anymore although the gift she was implying was uncommon anyway. Growing up, he had his fair share of seers to never doubt that they were real or that their powers were just as so. Back home especially, the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe often sought out a seer to be his guide. Not always, but even then his people had always been quite sure of fortunetellers.

Knowing that something was real, however, and wanting to deal with it were totally different matters. Seers could and often were cryptic, never speaking in plain tongue. And, frankly, he wasn't sure he really wanted his future told in the first place.

"I've known you were coming for a while now," said Centei, her tone kind. She clasped her hands before her, waiting for an answer.

"Why do you need to know?"

She smiled. "Curiosity and business."

Dan thought about it for a second. Should he be telling this woman why he was looking for her? He found an answer in a yes and a no. "If you know I'm looking for her then you probably already know why. Don't play games with me."

"You certainly are to the point, aren't you? Alright, then. Tingting is in the brewery on the first floor. She's cooking up something and you can find her down there."

Dan nodded, but before he turned away the woman spoke again.

"Protect her. The girl. Protect the girl. She's going to need somebody to be her shield before she can become her own."

This time, Dan didn't look at her. He swiftly walked away, putting the woman right out of his mind. He didn't want to think about her or what she had to say to him. Gods, all he wanted was to find this girl and get this over with. Once he found the girl, his neck wouldn't be on the line.

Down to the brewery he went, the fog permeating the air smelling like lily flowers and a strange acid like substance. The light was on just fine, those glowing orbs filling the air with enough for everyone to see. He still carefully followed in, not wanting to disturb anyone. Last thing he needed was for Tingting to whip around and send some incantation his way out of reflex. That, honestly, would be pretty terrible, especially since she had a minor habit of not pronouncing her incantations correctly.

Tingting was a young woman peering over her white and blue pot, dark hair pinned up in a messy up do and curious green eyes. Her skin was fair - though not as pale as Centei's - and her nails long and manicured. By any other account she would have looked just like a regular teenaged girl than a woman with fierce magical powers, but as it was, she was indeed very much a witch of fine measure.

She looked at him with a bright smile. "Oh, Dan! Welcome back! I didn't know you were here!"

"Just came back," said Dan, looking around for good measure. Okay, nothing particularly ominous laying around, no floating cauldrons that might fall on him… good. Tingting also had a slight habit of losing concentration when multi-tasking.

"To stay? Did you need a place to work? I thought you'd started working as a bounty hunter?"

"I did. I'm on a job right now and I need your help."

Tingting blinked. "Yeah?"

"I'm looking for this girl-"

"Danuma." Tingting frowned, her tone stern. "I will _not_ help you stalk some girl. I can't even believe you'd do somehting like that!"

"I'm not looking for her because of _that_ ," growled Dan. "Her family's looking for her. She… well, she _died,_ but she's back now and magic's involved." He waved his hand irritably. "She's supposed to be looking for something. They're having me find her and bring her home."

She deflated. "Oh. Okay. Well it does sound awfully serious, especially with magic like that. People don't just come back to life you know," she said as if a mild inconvenience were at play here. "There's usually other forces at work even though people will swear to hell and back that it's nothing."

"So you'll help me."

She nodded. "Sure, I wasn't doing much today. I don't see why not? The girl seems like she has the hand of God on her. It's a thing that usually requires some assistance. And you're probably in a pickle aren't you? If you're not already. I'll help you for sure."

"Thanks," he murmured.

"Well, what do you need me for exactly?" asked Tingting, propping her head on her hand as she sat down. "You need to find her, but you're the bounty hunter. What do you need lil' old me for?"

Dan grunted at her. He didn't have the time for this.

"Okay, okay," she said, grinning. "If it's a tracker spell you need I have just the thing. Simple. Easy. But I'm going to need something belonged to her at one point. Got anything like that?"

Well, he hadn't actually thought of that. It hadn't occurred to him to bring something with him just in case-

Oh, wait. That rabaroo stuffed animal. She'd given it to her sister hadn't she?

"Will this work?" he asked, dropping his bag down to the bend of his arm and grabbing out the toy. It was brown, with long ears and a worn middle where it'd clearly been held tightly. "She gave it to her sister."

Tingting nodded, gesturing for him to come over to her work station.

"That'll do," she said as she took the toy with a pleasant hum and smiled at it. "A strong gift of love too. I can feel it. This means a lot to the one who received it."

"I know that. Can you please just cast the spell?"

Despite sending him a slightly disapproving look, Tinting shook the rabaroo just a little. It pulsed yellow for a single moment as words of a language long forgotten were spoken to it. Tingting handed him right back to him with another hum. "There we go. All trackered up."

Dan just stared at it, the thing dangling in his hands like a normal toy still. "What did you do to it?"

"I put a spell on it."

He fixed her with a stare as she grinned.

"Oh, goodness, you're such a grouch. The tracker spell will lead you to her by glowing when you've raised it in her direction. The closer you get, the more it'll glow. That work for you?"

He looked at the toy. "This means I have to hold this toy in my hand all day." It was more of a statement than question.

"Do you want something that works or something that preserves your stony dignity?"

He almost growled, but instead just frowned a little. "Thank you. Do I owe you anything?"

"You're welcome," she said brightly. "And no, don't worry about it. Just get a little bit more sunshine in your life, would you?"

-:-:-:-

Nima wished the mermaids had given her more to work with then "you will find it."

The charter was still nowhere to be found. Sure enough, however, she always felt close. Always like it was there, waiting to be found.

Some seeker she was though. She always ended up on the beach at the end of the day, tired and hoping that maybe the mermaids would swim back even if she didn't have anymore fruit. Then again, the mermaids had been reluctant to tell her about the charter in the first place. That in and of itself should have told her how crazy this quest was.

"My dear, you're not a very productive person are you?"

Nima half squeaked, half shrieked, the sun hot on her legs with her dress pulled up to her thighs to keep from sweating straight through it. She could have relaxed in the shade to get cool, but now she was thoroughly glad she didn't. Out of the shadow crawled out Tianmei, her smoke tendrils meling out out the darkest corner under the tree.

Nima's breath caught in her throat, clutched tight by the fear in her chest. That face and those molten predator's eyes… they made her blood run cold.

Also, she had to quit just… _appearing_ out of thin air like that. Did she not use her legs by choice or did she just not have them…?

"W-what are you doing here?" stammered Nima, inching away from the witch.

Tianmei lounged in the air, smiling lazily. "My dear, I'm allowed to check up on you. As it is, you haven't been very successful so I thought I'd pop in and see what the problem was."

"The _problem_ ," Nima snapped, tired and damn near overheated from the inside out. "Is that _you_ don't even know where to start and I'm doing all your dirty work-"

"I very literally saved your life. Remember our contract. This is _your_ end of the deal."

Nima stuck out her bottom lip. "I'm _trying._ I swear…" she deflated. "I just can't find this charter… _thing._ Have you heard about it? The Charter of Stars?"

Maybe this was the break she needed. Maybe Tianmei knew what to do next.

"Heard of it," she said lightly. If Nima were a puppy her tail would have been wagging. Thank _god_ she- "But I don't actually know anything about it. So, good luck."

Nima internally screamed, half tempted to call the woman useless out of pure frustration, but decided to bite her tongue on the matter. Settling back into her spot, Nima sighed restlessly. She was hot. She was tired. She wanted to cry all the time and she just wanted to go _home_.

Even if she wondered if she'd be welcome.

"Tick tock, tick tock, my patience has a clock," Tianmei purred. "I suggest you look harder, dearest. I'm getting bored with you as my main focus. As pretty a thing as you are, I'll put you to other tasks if you bore me too much. I'm sure that captain who did you in would love to have you in his clutches again."

Nima's heart stopped, her mouth falling open.

"You wouldn't…"

A carnivore's grin for prey. "Of course I would. I need to be entertained somehow and if you can't do what I've asked..."

"I can!" Nima jumped right up. "I can do it! I swear, just… _please_."

Tianmei looked down at her with eyes that burning right through souls, tittering to herself. "Oh, you're so cute when you're scared. Worry not, kitten. You're a smart girl. My patience is probably a lot longer than you think it is… oh, yes, and, by the way, I paid a visit to your family."

All sound stopped reaching her ears as Nima jaw tightened on itself. She began playing with her fingertips absentmindedly, stepping forward. "You did?"

"Yes," Tianmei rolled over in the air, apparently bored, her tendrils following in eased and eerie grace. "I asked them, well, I asked your _father_ if he would help you with the task I've set. I would tell them where you are if only they would help."

"Did they ask about me?" asked Nima, feeling her heart leap into her chest. "Are they coming to get me?"

Tianmei rolled over again, lying down on nothing and steepling her fingers underneath their chin. "No."

Nima exhaled. "W-what…?"

Those eyes flashed with cold truth, not a hesitant flicker in sight. "They said no."

And then Tianmei and all her smoke whirled out of existence.

Nima didn't know how long she stood there, her bones cold and her heart melting into pieces. The very heat from her body was lost, escaped from the hole that surely had opened up her chest. She didn't know when she got on her knees and only realized it when she felt her tears sliding down her cheeks, over her chin and down her neck.

She gathered her knees to her chest in the sand and stayed right there for the rest of the day.

* * *

Sorry this has been a bit late! With school going, it's a bit hard to get time in to write sometimes.

Our stories are beginning to meld together and a long awaited pay off scene is soon coming around! I, personally, am ridiculously excited to write Nima and Dan's meeting scene. This chapter was more transitionary, but exciting things should be happening real soon (in the next couple chapters) and I hope you guys will stick around for it!

I appreciate any and all feedback given! As always, I love it when you guys drop those reviews! It really keeps me motivated and keeps me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	16. Beacon

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Beacon****

* * *

Dan followed the rabaroo northwest to Huiyanshan.

He hadn't bothered to stay long in Shukhekou, having only checked a few placed before going to the witch's resident school. It was his luck that the girl apparently wasn't too far, only a day's ride away. Starting out early, he caught the first thing riding out of town, a supply cart going north. The driver was more than happy to give him a lift after Dan presented him with a gold coin despite the funny look at the plush toy.

He sat in the back of the cart, among jostling crates and sacks of food. When he raised the rabaroo up in the direction they were going, it pulsed more and more, as if screaming that the girl was this way. Like she was a burning lighthouse and he was the ship.

Most of the ride, he was glad to say, was spent sleeping. _That_ was probably the least eventful thing he'd done in a while and he was grateful for it. How was he going to get this girl to come with him once he found her? He thought about that.

He couldn't very well just go up to her and say, "Your parents sent me to find you, you need to come with me."

Even children were smarter than that. On the other hand, he did have her sister's rabaroo as proof, but there were hundreds of rabaroo toys made all over the world. How would she know that this one was her sister's?

Even in his sleep, he felt annoyed at this whole thing. Find her and bring her home, her father said. Such an easy task.

-:-:-:-

The sun was well rising into the sky by the time Nima woke up. Way too late. Almost noon and way too late, especially once she heard the click of the door. All understanding came to her at once as she realized that she'd slept in far too late because, now, somebody was coming into the library storeroom. She leapt behind something - a worn sofa - and crouched there as she heard the door open and the floor creak a little. The footsteps stopped, as if whoever had come in could see where she'd been or the ruffled mess that was the cushions on the floor.

"Who's there?" demanded a man.

Damn.

Nima didn't dare get up or move lest the very floorboards creak under her and give her away.

"I know you're there," he said. "This here is library property. You can't just be here."

He started to walk again and she heard an ear ringing hiss that sounded like the soft slide of metal against leather. A dagger, probably.

Damn, damn, damn.

Curse her penchant for sleeping and naps. God damn her love of sleeping in.

The footsteps grew softer, but she knew he was getting closer, the boards creaking a little louder every now and again. What to do, what to do… if he caught her… well, she could still run out, couldn't she?

If he caught her, though, he would go to the authorities. And, dancer or no dancer, she was still the daughter of a famous pirate lord. They would love to put her in a jail cell.

She could worm her way out of this though. Whoever it was probably didn't know how to fight anyway. After all, she was still a pirate and she could _evade blows_ like one too. Her grandfather had always said she was a bit wily and probably got some of that from her father and maybe some from her mother. Either way, all that dancing, too, made it easier to slip and slide around the place in a skirmish.

Not that it always worked, but she didn't exactly expect a librarian to know how to fight her.

Peeking just around the corner, she could see where dust floated in shafts of sunlight and the man's boots were there, waiting, just waiting.

If she stayed quiet, then, maybe he'd go away.

"Come out or I lock this door behind me and go fetch the authorities. You think we've never had stowaway rats before?"

Oh, for the love of-

"Please, don't." Nima stood up slowly, clutching the back of the sofa as she crawled up cautiously. "I just needed a place for a second."

The man wasn't terribly tall, rather average. He had curly dark hair and green eyes behind a pair of glasses that didn't seem to fit him quite right. His expression faltered for a moment and he smirked.

"I knew it," he said. "Who are you and what are you doing in here?"

"I just needed a place to stay. That's all. I'll leave now," she said, walking out from behind the couch.

"I don't think so," he said, taking a step with her. "You can't just come in here and take up our space and gods knows what else you've been doing. How long have you been here?"

She bit her lip. "Just today."

He scoffed. "You're a terrible liar."

"A few days," she admitted. "I… I promise I won't come back this time. If I could just-"

When she made a step, so did he. "You got that bag from somewhere."

She looked down at her bag, the one filled with a book or two now that she thought were interesting, a small cartogprapher's book of all kinds of maps and a few coins she'd scrounged up looking throughout the library all hours of the night before heading to the storeroom to sleep.

Nima didn't say anything. If he could just look away for a second…

"I'll let you go."

Nima blinked, but his smirk was still there and he seemed, as her Uncle Skoochy would have called him, like an uppity jackass. She still said nothing, not even knowing what to say and she made another step for the door. Again, he took a step with her.

She shot him a meaningful look.

"You didn't let me finish," he sheathed his dagger and took a step closer to her. She took one back and, now, it just felt like they were doing some kind of odd, twisted dance here in the storeroom. One that she did not like at all. Not with the way he was looking at her with that terrible look in his eye. "I'll let you go if give me some time."

Nima froze. "...time for what?"

He looked down at her, his eyes roving over her. "I've seen you dance before and, look, I'm a nice guy. You know you're technically a criminal. I _know_ who you are. I won't call the authorities if you just let me-"

"Don't." She cringed, her nails dug into a loose cushion of the sofa. "Don't finish that sentence."

"We don't have to talk at all if you let me finish something else."

The disgust must have shown on her face because he let out some kind of irritated whiny growl. Was he serious? He didn't really think that he was going to actually be able to keep her here, did he? In perfect honesty, he didn't look very coordinated either.

"Okay, then, let me make this clearer. You're not getting out of here without fulfilling a favor so, why don't you-"

"Do it to _yourself_ ," she snapped, throwing the cushion in his face. He yelped, the dust that exploded from the cushion making him hack and cough as she dived for the door- then dived again to avoid the reaches of the uniformed men standing just outside of it. She'd barely made it through the gap between them, damn near buckling under her own knees from the angle they'd been forced to bend and launched herself into a run. Four of them, she recalled. There were four men, now running after her, as she burst through the doors and into the streets of Huiyanshan.

-:-:-:-

Once. Once he had his fortune told back home in the Northern Water Tribe. He'd been about fifteen at the time and had told the seer that he didn't need or want to know anything big. Just a kernal to see if his life would take any interesting turns.

The seer had smiled at him. "Don't worry. I wouldn't tell you even if you wanted to."

They tended to do that kind of thing too.

Then, she closed her eyes and she spoke, her voice seemingly in some other realm of life that he couldn't place. She was so far away and, when she spoke, she rocked as if the force of it was enough to move her.

She wheezed softly.

" _The Chain Breaker will come for you in blood and smoke._ " She began rocking back and forth, trembling. " _Grief and love, madness and compassion, to free you from your bonds and the bonds of those who have not yet lived. But you must be there to catch their own pieces as well, for they will burn like lightning incarnate and and the wind will howl it's arrogant storm. And there will be falls. Fall, fall and fall again. Fall once, you rise. Fall twice, you carry. Fall thrice, you stand. There will be fire and sharded steel. Wind and terrible fury. Then there will be you. You will be, you_ must _be, what fire cannot burn. What steel cannot tear._ "

He hadn't known what it meant nor did he actually think about it too much harder later, admittedly. When he'd gotten home that day, his father had taken him and his cousin out hunting and that had erased anything else for the next day or two.

Still, he thought on it every now and again. Whatever it meant hadn't occurred to him yet and he doubted it would for a long time. At this point, he even wondered if it would come true.

Would it even matter, really.

He got off the supply cart as soon as they arrived and sent another copper coin the man's way as payment. The town was bustling at noon, every corner busy with people who'd dragged their food carts into the main square of the city to take advantage of that traffic. When he thought about it, actually, he was hungry, Hungry and still tired, but he was so close to finding her and then, maybe, he could relax.

With a steeling sigh, he ducked into an alley. Somewhere nice and recluse where he could keep an ounce of his dignity while he raised this toy up in front of him. When he found somewhere alone to be and put the rabaroo at eye level with himself in several directions, it soon began to pulse with a golden light, stronger and stronger and stronger. The damned thing felt _alive_ that's how crazy it went and it pulsed in his hand like a flickering beacon:

The girl was here and she was probably walking around right now.

Still, it could be almost impossible to find her. She was supposedly small and how many brunettes were around in this city? It was _still_ going to probably be a few hours, at least, before he got any credible whiff of her without putting this rabaroo over his head every few minutes.

Gods, this was a pain in his ass.

He walked toward the crowd at the other side of the alley and into the bright street, people of all manner flittering about in search of goods. There was some ruckus in the distance. People moved about to make way for someone and, he frowned. The shouting - shouting men for that matter - was getting closer.

They were shouting about finding someone. Well, welcome to the club.

He shrugged it off. Probably just some thief they were chasing down- and losing apparently.

The crowd went back to what they were doing, caring just about as much as Dan apparently about the authorities business or how well it fared. His stomach growled at him, telling him exactly what it thought about being neglected for so long. Maybe he _could_ get a quick bite to eat. Even if it was just an apple, at least. It was going to be useless if he ended up passing out from hunger and heat. Not to mention embarrassing.

His hunger pains were interrupted and he, then, shifted his attention down at the flash of brown and purple that yelped as it turned the corner and thudded against him.

-:-:-:-

Oh, gods, she felt like she hit a _wall_.

But the wall was wearing boots, trousers and some kind of fur-lined brown hide skin. Half bent over to keep her head well below the crowd of people, she felt like one of those ancient emu raptors her Uncle Otaku showed her in his books once.

" _You see her?_ " she heard coming up from down the street.

She nearly jumped out of her skin and glanced up at the man, straightening up as she spread her hands half innocently, half nervously. Well, damn, he was huge. Even standing straight up he still felt like wall.

"Oh, hi, there." She grinned a bit too wide as she maneuvered her way around him, clasping her hands at her chest and leaning a bit in a distressed, cheerful plea. "Can you just do me a favor and just, you know, stand there and not move? That'd be great for me right now. Kay? Kay, thanks. You're the best. I appreciate it. Really, I do. Very good shelter human. That's a compliment. I mean that I mean it that in the best way possible. Okay, yeah." She uttered out a poor excuse for a chuckle. "Okay, thanks again."

She stepped behind him when he looked like he would stay put and turned to the side, waiting for her pursuers to run through - although, she probably could have stayed facing forward and still be totally hidden by the guy. After all this, she could get the hell out of here. There was more ruckus and bustling and moving around. Finally, just when she was about to step from behind the man-

"Hey, ki- er, you." Her spine went pin straight and she did not dare breathe. "You seen a girl come around here? This tall? Brown hair, green eyes, purple dress-"

"Well, it's actually more of a pastel purple."

"Would you shut up?" Those were two of the men chasing her. She remembered their voices. " _Anyway_ , have you seen her?"

"No," said the young man she was hiding behind, his voice a low and smooth.

"...well, alright. You see anything though, you come find us, you hear me? She's a thief. Stealing from a library no less."

"Yeah, I'll do that," he said with nothing in his voice. She raised her brows a little out of pure curiosity. It was an interesting combination really. Not monotone like her Uncle Ryu, but a rich low, yet... nothing in his voice. Not too deep. Not like her Uncle Imaru's booming laugh. But it was strangely nice to listen to. The voice of a man young, but the tone of someone who just didn't seem to care.

But he didn't turn her in…

Okay, that was slightly unsettling.

She stayed still even for a moment after the men left before she creeped from behind her guy and around the corner. Their backs retreating, the men chasing her were going down the street and turning a corner. Thank god.

Looking right and left just to make sure, she turned around and smiled at her hiding spot. "Thank you," she chirped. "I really appreciate that. That was way helpful for me. Sorry, I can't stick around, but I probably should get going before they come back. Thanks again though."

She moved to step back into the crowd.

"You're Captain Kai's daughter."

She blinked, foot frozen and face faltered. It was more of a statement than a question, really. Was she really _that_ recognizable?

"How do you even know that?"

"Are you or are you not?"

Nima made a face. What _was it_ with these people? Were there no other girls in all the world with green eyes and brown hair? He could have just recognized her from her dancing, but he specifically said _Captain Kai's daughter_.

"And, er, what if I say no…?" she said in a small voice.

He only stared at her with something like a hint of a frown.

She cut her eyes to the side, then back to his. Well. He was an excitable person, wasn't he?

Staring up - very _much_ up - she blinked at him again and they stood there for a moment, giving her a chance to look him over. He wasn't _quite_ as big as her three uncles, Appa, Imaru and Lefty, all of whom were enormous and always had been, but still. This guy was _huge_ , her entire height capped out at his shoulder.

He was broad and brawny, especially in the shoulders and the arms, defined muscle lining every inch of him. She could even say he was statuesque in a casually cold, uninterested kind of way and his face showed it. Dark like black ash, his tresses were long _;_ it was silky, thick, feathery hair loosely clasped into two ponytails, one each pulled over his shoulder where it hung down his torso and over a powerful chest. He wore a white fur-lined black leather vest sewn in with designs one would only see on an authentic Water Tribe made piece and, to further compliment the whole thing, a single claw hung around his neck.

All of that framed a stony expression on brown skin. She would have thought him handsome, too, were it not for how utterly unimpressed he seemed to be with her. And then there were his eyes. A certain brightness to them and, yet, eyes the color of smeared coal.

She cocked her head at him. "Who are you?"

"Danuma," he said, frowning slightly. Surprise, surprise.

"Danuma."

He didn't react. "Dan."

"Okay, then, _Dan_." She put her hands on her hips. "Why do you need to know who I am so bad?"

"Because your father sent me to find you."

Her throat constricted. She froze. For the past few days, life had been rather miserable, she admitted, because she had thoroughly been decided to a fate without her family. Clearly, if what Tianmei was saying was correct, then they _were_ better off without her. It was something she had wondered about, but to hear it was another. To hear that they didn't miss her enough to come find her and see if she was okay.

She'd destroyed her relationship with her entire family, apparently. That all being said, she only had Tianmei's word to go on. The witch, in retrospect, wasn't the most credible source in the world considering the vice she had Nima in at the moment.

She hadn't gone out the day after she heard it though or the day after that. And, when she finally did go out, she only loosely wandered around, unable to bring herself to care about any charter for the time being. What did it matter if her family didn't really want her around anymore anyway?

Before she could tell him to prove it, he held out something to her and her lip wobbled when she realized what it was. A rabaroo with a worn middle. It was the first thing of _her own life_ she'd touched in days and just the sight of it made her want to cry now. She knew that thing anywhere. Taani used to carry it around wherever she went on their ship; it was her faithful companion. Now, it stayed home in Taani's room where she had a spot for it right next to her wavy capped head.

Nima took it in her hands, feeling the softness and the fuzz. It felt so familiar. Her fingers welcomed the touch and brought it closer to herself until she held it against her chest.

Home.

"They sent you?" She looked up at him.

He gave a curt nod.

Did he know about the witch? About her deal? What she had to do?

Again, she asked. "And they want you to bring me to them?"

He raised his brows at her slightly, again, apparently unimpressed as if to say, " _Yes, of course."_

It seemed like such an obvious thing. But was the rabaroo… it was definitely Taani's. She'd seen it too many times to doubt it was, but, still, there were one too many questions. How could she _really_ know-

"Is it just you or the witch?" he asked finally, as if he could read her mind.

Her mouth fell open, at a slight loss for words at this point. Every part of common sense was telling her not to just follow a guy because he happened to have your baby sister's rabaroo and told you his name. On the other hand, _it was her baby sister's rabaroo_. For him to have gotten a hold of it in the first place not only did he have to know her family, but Taani must have liked him well enough. And if Taani liked him and had a chance to give him her toy then he couldn't be that bad, right?

"It's just me," she said after a moment. "She doesn't come around often, actually. Which is nice. So… how do you know my family, again? You didn't mention that."

Not even a twitch of the mouth. "My crew was around The Yakone and your crew. I ended up on shore and, in a phrase, they didn't leave me there."

"So, your crew marooned you and my family rescued you?" she asked, raising a brow. Well, she didn't doubt that her family would rescue him, but all that seemed awfully vague. Call her suspicious, but he was just a somewhat imposing guy. She wanted to make sure a guy so much bigger than her was somebody she could actually trust.

Another curt nod.

"That's... fine," she said, nodding at him as well. "But I can't leave yet."

It was Dan's turn to blink this time, the only appearance of any surprise. "What?"

"I can't leave," she said. "If you know about the witch, then you probably know about her thing with me, right?"

"The deal."

"Yeah and see...I start here. I need to look for something. If you want me to come with you, and I'm not really sure I should, then you're going to have to help me find it."

More facial movement, to her pleasant surprise, and he knitted his brows a little looking at her. "...are you hustling me?"

She shook her head, settling the rabaroo in her arms. Of course not. She wasn't a con woman, after all. "No, I just need to use your help."

"In exchange for maybe coming with me." He frowned at her. "That's a hustle."

Nima made a face at him in turn. "I know what it is. I'm a pirate."

His frown didn't lift. She sighed.

"Again, I'm a _pirate_. Why would I tell you that I'm hustling you? I need your help before we decide on anything else. It'll probably be a lot nicer if we think about it as an acquaintance exercise."

After a long moment, in which he just stared at her, bored his eyes into her and almost seemed to be mentally evaluating if she was worth all this mystery trouble, he grunted. She beamed in triumph.

When he turned on his heel and walked, she followed. He didn't say anything else. Oh, he was broody, wasn't he? Not even that, she supposed. Broody seemed too much of an emotion for him.

"I'm Nima, by the way. I know you didn't ask, but it seems like an important thing to mention, probably."

She heard him sigh.

* * *

Oh, boy. It's pretty late over here while posting this so I'm just going to say that I wanted this chapter to be 100% about Dan and Nima's meeting. It felt awkward writing it at first, but I think it was supposed to be considering that, well, Dan is an awkward person in a lot of ways and it's an awkward situation.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me writing and really keep me motivated! Every word really means a lot! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	17. Fire and Stone

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Fire and Stone  
****

* * *

Dan felt like his ears were going to start bleeding. The girl was like a small lion puppy, yapping away at the only thing it had to talk to: him. It wasn't like she talked _a lot_ exactly as it was the things she decided to talk about. And that feline pointed but not pointed way she decided to talk about them. And the timing. And- for gods' sakes would she quit asking about food already?

"Are you _sure_ we can't stop by at any food vendors?" Nima crooned again, peeking around a corner at some pastry cart near a bakery. "I think those blueberry tarts would be a lot happier in my stomach."

"Yes, I'm sure," he said stonily. He could already feel her frowning at him again.

"I'm just… look, it's been a minute since I've had anything to eat and I'm _starving_."

"You've told me."

"So… are you sure _you're_ not hungry? I mean, if you've been looking for me everywhere then you've gotta be, right? Why don't we just mosey on over there and swipe a quick bite to eat, what do you say? For you, of course."

Irritated to all ends at this point, he snorted. "Authorities are looking for you. Stopping by a food vendor means someone possibly recognizing you and reporting you or them spotting you because you were standing still so long," he said, not bothering to wait up for her as he made strides down the street - though he had to admit he was mildly surprised she could keep up. "No stopping. We're going to an inn right now."

Now, if you could shut up about your stomach for a minute, he thought at her. That'd be great.

"But I'm _hungry_ ," she whined and he nearly grit his teeth so hard something probably almost cracked.

"So am I," he said tightly.

"Okay, see? So, don't you-"

"No."

She made a small indignified sound and he could hear her saying something under her breath about no fun. No, this wasn't fun. Not in the least bit. He was glad she noticed that she was currently wanted by the Huiyanshan authorities. "Can we get something at the inn, then?"

Oh, for fuck's sake.

"Fine."

He could feel her staring at him and he resisted the urge to tell her to watch where she was walking instead of boring holes into his head. "Has anybody ever told you that you're grumpy? I'm not exactly saying it as an insult, but, you know."

"You're irritating," he finally said.

"I know, but... you're boring and I just met you." She sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry about that, but you're the first person I've really had to talk to in days and you're not exactly… exciting."

"I'm supposed to find you and bring you home. It's not supposed to be exciting."

"But that sounds very exciting."

"Stop that," he said.

"Stop what?"

"Having an answer for everything I say. Just be quiet. I have about an endless amount of nerves and you're getting on every single one of them."

But when he looked at her, she was smiling at him. "Hey, this the most you've said to me all day. I'm going to take it."

Dan stared at her for a brief moment, willing his face into nothing and then turned away from the girl. If he could just shut her out a little bit they could get this all over with. That's all he wanted. To return her and be done with all of this. No more having to see anymore of her family or look in their eyes to see what was going on in there. Just…

It was all a little too much.

They moved on to an inn south of the library and away from the public square. It was a quaint part of town. More or less, a hiding spot in plain sight. Dan gave the innkeeper a gold coin for the room to which she gratefully accepted and sent a wink his way as she led them upstairs. He ignored it. Gods, that bed couldn't get any closer. First and foremost, his priority was _sleep_. _Rest_.

He hadn't had a real, _decent_ night's sleep for a minute and it was something that he sorely missed. Of course, he had been expecting to sleep in his own bed.

In the room, there was a single, semi-large bed in the middle of the room. He blinked. By the time he'd turned to the innkeeper to make it clear that he wanted a room with _two_ beds, she was gone and shut the door. So, he checked the closet. He even checked underneath the bed.

No extra cot.

Great.

Okay, then.

-:-:-:-

Nima watched as Dan searched the room for an extra cot that hopefully was hidden away somewhere. She only hoped it was a rather sizable cot because he was a rather large guy. By the time they'd gotten to the inn, she was already a little winded from having to keep up with his naturally larger gait. At full height, the top of her head _barely_ reached his shoulder and that made for a trot of a walk through town.

Putting his bag, she watched him resign to the fact that there was, indeed, no cot in this room. He left without a word to her. In the meantime, she sat down on the bed to rest her poor little aching feet and he came back, his mouth twitching into a frown.

Still, nothing else to say to her, he sat down on the bed and laid back. When he closed his eyes, Nima cocked her head at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Attempting to take a nap."

"But I'm sitting here," she said, raising a brow.

He turned his back to her with a sigh. Silence.

"Maybe I want to rest too?" she suggested.

He grunted.

Was he always like this? She was willing to bet he was always like this. Sighing sharply through her nose, she poked him. He didn't stir. Now, her eyes narrowed and she stuck out her bottom lip in frustration and she poked him again, this time, harder. He only shifted around a little, poorly suppressed irritation edging his little movements. Finally, she told him, "You know. A gentleman would sleep on the floor and let the lady take the bed."

"I'm sure he would."

 _Wow_.

What a charmer.

"My father would sleep on the floor..." she muttered before realizing what had just come out of her mouth.

"He's not here."

The pang had already hit Nima, but it only hurt a more with the truth of Dan's words.

 _He's not here_.

No, this incredibly unfriendly guy was the one who had coming looking for her. Not her father. This guy _said_ that her father had coming looking for her, but she didn't have any real proof besides the rabaroo that supposedly belonged to Taani. Was she really this pathetic now? Just taking company from any old stranger who would come looking for her?

She supposed…

She supposed that she just wanted someone to talk to. Someone who wanted to see her, that is, and this guy was the closest she had. If he would just talk to her, it would be enough to get her through the day maybe. The days after the mermaids had mostly been her _avoiding_ people. All her life, she'd been on the run technically, but not like this. Never like this. She'd always lived on _The Waterbender_ , had a roof over her head, food to eat and lots of it, family to talk to. Family who loved her.

They shouldn't have, maybe, but they did anyway. And she'd appreciated and loved them all in return as much as she could humanly muster.

Now, she was all by herself with a father who still didn't really want to see her. Loved her maybe. Maybe wanted her back, she didn't know. But did he really want to see her? After what she said? Why would he? He'd spent the better part of a week not talking to her and it was perfectly possible that condition was still the same.

All she wanted to do was go home, but she wasn't entirely sure that she'd be welcomed home. Not wholly. Part of her knew that was dead wrong, but another part of her ate away. Ate away at the festering misery inside of her.

She just wanted to go home.

-:-:-:-

Dan could have cursed the air blue, up, down and whichever other way possible once he realized that the girl was gone. Damn it all. He hadn't exactly fallen asleep, but he'd lulled off long enough for her to slip away unnoticed.

Normally, his senses were fairly keen, having to pay attention to his surroundings in order to pick up on any signs of whatever target he was tracking down this time. This, however, had been one of the rare times when his target actually managed to get away from him. Standing at a solid six foot four inches, most people he met were shorter than him. It wasn't going to be easy finding Nima.

He strode out of the inn, searching low rather than high. Nima wasn't very tall already as it is. His own height didn't necessarily help matters among the crowd. Not with her brown little head. There were dozens of those just in his line of sight.

Where to start first?

Well, she _had_ been been complaining about hunger. The main square, busy as it was, was the first logical step. Hide in plain sight. That's what he would have done if he were her. So, he did. He checked the more popular food vendors, restaurants, even the market place where she might have chosen to snatch up a fruit or two if she had no money. Now, he was half heartedly prowling the side of town closest to the sea.

Nothing.

An hour had to have passed by the time he was finished searching the busier spots, trying to spot her between people and down the streets. He swore colorfully. She could have been well out of _town_ by now and he'd _had her_ -

But she hadn't taken my money, he remembered. And she needs my help.

He recalled the quest. The thing she told him she was looking for.

Dan almost wanted to smack himself. How could he forget that already? Of course, she had no choice but to stay and continue her search. He hadn't ever gotten a chance to ask what she was doing stowing away in a library anyway. What exactly it was that she needed to find. Then again, he'd also never… bothered to ask. In fact, he had been rather determined to drink in as little of her as possible when he'd encountered her if he were perfectly honest.

Amateur mistakes. All of them. Hadn't gotten enough information from her, about her… frankly, the girl unnerved him. She had literally _died_ and yet she was still jumping around like nothing had happened. Well, guess it was quest time now, wasn't it? For her, it seemed like that was all this was.

How in the _hell_ was she still functioning?

If he were to really admit it, she freaked him out just a little bit. Or, maybe, it was utter annoyance that he'd never met someone who just needed, craved, to be engaged so much. Entertained. He made it a point to be the least entertaining person one could ever meet-

He froze right on the cobblestone street.

His eyes narrowed in on a figure curled up on the beach.

-:-:-:-

Part of Nima's very heart was tied to water. She couldn't even imagine living some place where the sea wasn't just right there at her feet. How could she? All her life had been on a ship, on ports…

The sea was a comfort and a distress all at once. But she'd learn to live with that, thrive with that.

She was a pirate, after all.

The problem was that pirates preferred to go into things they had advantages in and she had _no_ advantages in this situation. How was she supposed to find this charter? It could take her years to search every inch of this town and find that thing. And then, was there a guarantee that it would _stay_ in town? Huiyanshan may not have been on the Gold Coast, but it was no tiny port town. It met the mouth of the Kulaka river heading north and opened up to the Amaterasu to the south.

That charter could be in and out of this port constantly if a _sailor_ had it on them.

She nearly felt like crying. There were too many ways for this charter to technically be "around" town. It could even be a little forgotten piece of paper somewhere deep in an unused drawer. For gods' sakes, it could even be _in pieces…_

She curled her toes in the sand, her slippers beside her. The sand brought her to some kind of… reality. Calm. Maybe even a little sadness. The sea reached for her feet, never really making it before they receded again. Cerulean pushing and pulling. Back and forth.

It was the only comfort she found these days.

But she missed sailing. Sailing with her _family_.

A couple tears really did leak out. She missed feeling the warm wind in her hair, the casual bustling of her uncles on the deck of the ship, her Uncle Daw's mouth watering cooking. Her brother and sister - she cuddled the rabaroo in the space between her thighs and her torso - running around the ship doing their own little things. She even missed Rama calling her name just to say something she wished she could hit him for.

Her mother's voice was always like music to her ears. Especially when she felt so alone in the world sometimes. Nima wished she were here.

Her Uncle Momo also knew when she needed him. He always knew how… how _horrible_ she felt for the scar on his throat. That scar was all her fault even if he said that he was okay with it but when he told her that he was okay with it… the world was a little bit more manageable on her worst days.

She missed shopping with her Uncle Imaru and when he would take her to whatever salon that was around if they were ported. They would get their nails done together and the manicurists always thought it was the sweetest thing.

Her Uncle Skoochy was always understanding about most of her problems, her Uncle Daw made the best hot chocolate, then there was her Uncle Zedd who taught her how to play poker, her Uncle Tyyo who taught her how to pickpocket, her Uncle Nukko who would bring her strange little sweet treats whenever he found any in whatever town they were in…

If she named anymore she was going to start sobbing. _All of them._

She missed all of them so much.

The days that had transpired after that had been a fight just not to _think_ about all of that, but how could she not? Her family was out there somewhere and she was off in some town. And it wasn't like Dan exactly _wanted_ to be around her. Did her own family even want her because they missed her or… it was a silly thing to consider, but after everything that happened she just wondered if she were more trouble than she was worth.

So much stress...

What was she needed for?

"Hey."

Nima jumped up, twisting so sharply that she nearly slipped in the sand. Dan leaned against a palm tree behind her, the shade shrouding him like a veil. She noted the tawny sandy colored fur that lined his vest, the black stark and complimenting against it - she noted his arms. Great. Now, he was probably just going to lift her and take her away. Looking between herself and him, it was clear as day how easy of a feat that would be for him.

Before all of that though, how did he find her so fast?

"I… didn't think you'd find me for a few hours," she said in a small voice.

"If ever," he added as if reading her mind. Exactly. If ever. As it was, if he could tell that she'd been crying, he didn't say anything. He simply stood there, leaning, waiting. After a good minute of them just standing there like that in uncomfortable even silence, she walked up to him. He raised his brows at her ever so slightly.

"Well? Aren't you going to make me come with you?" she asked, opening her arms in gesture.

"I could, but I won't," he said. "I was supposed to find you. Not kidnap you. Whether you decide to return to your family is your decision. Not mine."

Nima blinked. "You're not going to make me?"

He didn't repeat himself. Of course, she'd heard what he'd said, but that didn't mean she could believe it. But, as it appeared, he had no reason or intention to physically make her go with him. No interest either.

 _Whether you decide to return to your family is your decision_.

She gulped. "Do they miss me?"

"Aren't I here?"

Well, that didn't exactly answer her question. She nearly whimpered from the pure frustration of it all. If-

He loosed a restless sigh and uncrossed his arms, his eyes doing their best not to roll, but there was something strangely sincere in them. As if he wasn't ready to do this but here he went anyway. The most emotion she'd seen in him thus far.

"I didn't hunt you down. I came to find you."

Nima furrowed her brows. "What's the difference?"

"The difference is that I'm not here to hurt you, alright?" he said. "There's no catch, no pay, no prize at the end of this. Look-" He almost sounded like he was growling, but it came out more like a suppressed grind. "What I said back there didn't- it's true, but it's not what I meant. Your father's not here because he sent me."

"Why?" she asked pointedly.

She needed to know why. Was it because of her or-

"They're trying to help you, that's why. I know you don't trust me. Never expected you to. Frankly, I don't care if you do." He frowned. "...I even get it if you don't. But we're both here for a reason."

He extended a large hand out to her. A sincere gesture of cooperation. She didn't know where he was from, but maybe he understood what it felt like to just want to go home. Home to her room and her family and her ship where the wood was warm on a hot day. Where it smelled like cinnamon and strawberries after dinner whenever her Uncle Daw knew she was craving them.

And if what he said was true...

She clasped his hand and he squeezed it in affirmation. Not a handshake exactly, but a promise.

"Alright then," he said, turning away and Nima felt the tension in the air release. Stone once again, he looked over his shoulder. "Home. Let's go."

They settled into bed that night, albeit a little awkwardly, each on the far side of the bed from each other. Well, apparently he still wasn't going to sleep on the floor, but at least he slept with his back to her. She'd never shared a bed with anyone besides Tikaani or even Taani, but certainly not a total stranger.

She knew his name and that her family had sent him to find her. It wasn't exactly a lot to go off of, but she would try. Try to be as comfortable as possible and, maybe, that would make him comfortable too. In the hours that had passed since their little encounter on the beach, it'd occurred to her that this maybe wasn't easy for Dan either. If anything, it was more taxing. He had to track her down and then somehow convince her that he wasn't a random serial killer.

Maybe it was intuition, but she knew that the rabaroo she clutched to her chest was Taani's. It smelled like her and it felt like hers.

Between her and Dan there was a fair amount of space even if Dan wasn't exactly the smallest guy in the world. He took up a decent amount of the bed on his own or, at least, compared to her.

She didn't know his story. Perhaps they had gotten off on the wrong foot. It seemed like he lived in a constant state of uncomfortable social interaction. Like he didn't know what to do or say or just wanted to get away in general, but life seemed to laugh and do all it could to make things as uncomfortable as possible. Taani probably felt like that a lot in perfect honesty. Sometimes she felt like that.

Or maybe she was reading way too much into it and he just didn't really care for her. Not that she had exactly expected him too, but her behavior earlier...

Her face was warm against the pillow. She rolled over and poked him in the back, watching him stiffen as he tilted his head back in a sort of question.

"You know, I'm sorry about earlier. The running away, all the talking. Especially the talking," she said quietly. "Talking doesn't seem to be your favorite thing and I promise I'm not always like this." Even now, she almost wished he would turn around and look at her. "It's just been a while."

She didn't wait to see his if his body relaxed, rolling back over so that theirs backs were to each other again.

His voice was clear. "It's fine."

She let out a shallow breath of relief.

* * *

Oh boy, I'm so sorry that this chapter took forever! I was trying and succeeded in finishing my other Kainora fic, What's Done in the Dark. Now, this is a little more of a main project again! This chapter is _slightly_ filler because I wanted a chapter just exploring Nima and Dan's initial dynamics. There's a lot of awkward here though via Dan because Nima's very social and he's, well, _not_.

Should make for an interesting journey.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me going and keep me motivated to write and let me assure you that every word means a lot! I do my best to thank each and every one of you, but life gets a little busy sometimes. But, seriously, those reviews mean so much to me and I appreciate them a lot! Your words get my words going! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	18. The Charter of Stars

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **The Charter of Stars  
****

* * *

Kai just couldn't sleep. Not tonight.

It wasn't like that wasn't a normal occurance to him, but tonight especially just wasn't abiding. Not at all. Jinora, mercifully, stayed asleep as he had slid out of bed. He checked his crew like he always did, then, he checked the twins room. It took all of his strength not to go to Nima's room. Both Longshot and Yung both told him that it probably wasn't entirely too healthy for him to visit there too often. For once, he listened.

Yet, he found the night strangely peaceful. Not entirely. Not like a night only a month ago when Nima had been here on the ship and they were freely sailing around the Amaterasu on their way to port in a town they docked at numerous times a year. When his child wasn't owned by some wicked witch.

Still, the night was peaceful enough that he could only smell the salt air and watch the stars for a little while. Let his heart beat and just be… be nothing. Not think. Not calculate.

It was a relief and a strain all at once.

He didn't deserve to feel like this. He should have been doing something, _anything_ , to help Nima with this quest of hers - of course, it was his own fault that she was in the mess in the first place. If he had just-

There were _so many things_ he did wrong. So many things he wanted to tell her he was sorry for. So many things he didn't deserve the be forgiven for.

"I got a gut feelin' you'd be up here."

Kai looked over his shoulder. He hadn't even heard the thump of Lefty's wooden leg as the big old pirate sidled up beside him. When Yung wasn't the one to find him in his most of quiet moments, it was usually Lefty.

Kai smiled a little. "How'd you know?"

"Cause a smartass like you needs all the salt he can get, right?"

Kai snorted. "That's a new one."

Lefty shrugged. "I try…" Kai could feel Lefty eyeing him. "So, you going to tell me what's got you up here all by yoursefl?"

"You know as well as I do what it is," said Kai, a little more bitter than he had meant to. "...she's out there, Lefty. And I put her there."

Lefty sighed. "Yeah… yeah, you did. So did she. And me. And Yung. And Jinora and everyone else on this ship. We all put her there. We all knew what happened between you two and we all kept our mouths shut. Figured you two would work it out, but we also knew how you were. How emotional Nima could be. Somebody should have said something."

"This isn't anybody's fault. I was the one who… who _ignored her_ like she was _nothing_."

"You're only human, kid."

Kai bristled. "I'm her _father_ -"

"And Jinora's her mother. And aren't I her uncle and the rest of these laggy gentlemen, too? And Yung, her grandpa? Aren't we all her family? Kai, we _all_ love her. We _all_ saw what happened and we all need to work together about helping her. Got it?"

Kai went quiet for a long moment. He still felt like it was his fault, but… he had a point about the last part. "You think I made the wrong decision…? Sending that bounty hunter to find her?"

"Danuma? Nah. He seems alright. I've seen his type. If and when he finds her, he's going to protect her. Even if he doesn't want to. He tries too hard to be what he seems like."

Snorting, Kai crossed his arms. That still didn't make him like the kid any more. He'd still worked with Quil and acted as if he didn't know what hunting down Kai and his family would result in. Or he was just dumb. Whatever the reason was.

"Kai," Lefty warned as if he could see exactly what was going on in his captain's mind. "He's practically just a kid."

"I was Captain for three years when I was his age," Kai growled. "He's not _that_ much of a kid and, either way, he still worked with a slave trader. He may not be the devil, but he sure as hell isn't a role model. I don't have to like him."

Lefty sighed, clapping Kai on the shoulder. "Maybe not. But you have to live with the fact that he's out there looking for Nima and you're out here losing valuable rest. Come on, Cap. Go inside and be with Jinora. Tomorrow's a new day."

"I can't sleep."

"And you also can't stand the idea of being useless. Which is what you're going to be tomorrow if you don't at least go lay down. Being up here isn't going to get your head any clearer than that. And you know it."

For once, Kai didn't have an answer, smartass or not.

Sleep was fitful that night, but at least it was merciful to come at all.

-:-:-:-

The next morning, Nima explained her plight to Dan. Partially out of necessity and partially to stave off the thought of her own restless sleep the night prior.

She'd dreamt of blood and cruel, blue and molten colored eyes. Of a phantom wound opening up ahead in the base of her belly as it threatened to drown her in her own pool of blood. While she hadn't exactly woken up screaming, she had jerked herself awake, sweating cold and breathing as if she'd been sprinting.

She shoved the night away, shoved the fears that lay dormant in the wake of her deal with Tianmei and... what had happened on Captain Quil's ship. Instead, when the nightmare had rocked her awake, she ended up focusing on Dan's back turned to her.

At least, she wasn't alone. At least, there was that. Dan wasn't exactly close or anything, but he was _somebody_. So, her fears obliged for her for now, returning to their slumbering like a dragon until another day. Another moment.

It promised a roar. She still ignored it.

As she explained her situation, Dan listened to her, not reacting much - what was new? - but seemingly taking in everything that she said with careful consideration. They both traveled around a lot for their respective lifestyles, but he was apparently the hunter. Over breakfast in their small room, he let slip that he had caught a couple bounties in the city after her inquiry as to how he'd found her. A bounty hunter, then. That was actually pretty useful to her right about now. She may not have been looking for a person, but he knew how to look for things so… that counted, right?

Admittedly, she was desperate to find this thing already.

"So, it's a charter?" he asked, his face neutral.

She nodded. "I guess? I don't actually know what it is, but that's what they called it. The Charter of Stars. Any ideas? Because I'm out of them entirely. I've been here for days and haven't found a single clue as to even what it looks like. I've checked everywhere. Stores, libraries, people's offices when I could get into them..."

"Have you checked the the harbor?"

Nima blinked. "The harbor?"

"Sailors." He said. "Navigators use literal charter of stars all the time."

"Well, yeah, but… I've checked the shops _near_ the harbor. I'm not actually sure where I would look _at_ the harbor itself. There are dozens of ships that go in and out of this place day in and day out," she said, furrowing her brows. Her own father used star navigating, but he had dozens upon dozens of star maps. None of them special, but just because it was useful to have them. "I can't just board every ship and check each one before it sails out. Pirates just by themselves keep loads of maps on their ships. My uncle who's our navigator even collects them just as a hobby."

"But if there's a ship that never really leaves the harbor, then it could be there. Like certain A.P.A ships. They stay docked in town for defense for weeks on end."

Well, it was _possible_ , but…

"It's not exactly easy to sneak on an A.P.A ship though. Their defenses are pretty tight as it is and they're not all very friendly. If we get caught-"

"We?"

"If _we_ ," she repeated, gesturing between the two of them. "Get caught then they'll throw us in prison or-"

She nearly choked. Even worse.

He grunted. "I'm not breaking into an A.P.A vessel to get a map. I'm just giving you suggestions."

"And they're _your_ suggestions. What am I supposed to do? Walk in there with a smile on my face and ask them to let me search their ship for a magic star map?"

His twitched and she swore his brow quirked. "I am not going to go to prison for a map," he said firmly. Well, that was that. "Why does it have to be _this_ particular map? There are thousands of star charters in this town. Use one of them."

Nima's frowned. "Because this one is _special_."

For some reason… she supposed.

"How?" he challenged, staring straight at her, daring her to find a flaw with his logic.

"I- Well, it's-" she stammered. "It just _is_ okay? I don't know why or what's so special about it, but… but it's all I've got..." She deflated. "This map's supposed to help me find all these sword pieces and… it's the only hope I have right now…"

It was the only possible good news she could get aside from her family just popping up all of a suddenly to come get her.

Dan drew his hand back from the table, letting it hang over the edge. He still looked at her, but the hardness of his gaze wasn't so prominent anymore. For a moment, he just stared, not moving. Contemplating, maybe?

Whatever he was weighing, he let out a breath and looked away, apparently irritated with his decision as he grumbled what sounded like obscenities under his breath. Sharply, he looked back at her. "We do this my way, understand?"

She straightened up, her brows upturning and she grinned. He snorted at her like a bull staring down a pesky lamb. This was not how he'd planned to start his day, she knew. Still, she appreciated it. "So, we're doing this?"

"Yes…" He did not sound pleased. "But the second I say it's done, it's done. If I don't help you then you're probably just going to run off and do it anyway and get yourself caught. I can't exactly return you if you've been arrested."

At that, she let out an undignified sound and stuck out her bottom. "Rude."

He rose from his seat and clearly didn't care.

-:-:-:-

They planned the break in of _The Unagi_ over the course of three days. Nima, it turned out, was a valuable asset in such things, Dan was willing to admit. She seemed to know how to break into places that were designed to not be broken into.

"Cargo goes in all day," she said, a slender finger going over the map of the ship she'd swindled off some unsuspecting sailor. "And it's usually pretty heavy so nobody would notice a crate that needed two people to lift. All we have to do is get ourselves into a couple of barrels and we're good."

Dan folded his arms over his chest. "And nobody's going to check?"

"Probably not," said Nima, rolling up the map. "Most of them get labeled and counted for and everything. Especially with the A.P.A. All you have to do is get rid of a couple and put ourselves in some empty ones to replace them so when they count it's not off. They'll carry us right onto the ship. Later on, the cargomaster will check the cargo when the crew's busy doing other things. That gives us just enough time to get on the ship, snoop around and then leave."

For a minute, Dan just looked at her.

She blinked. "What?"

"You know way too much about this. Even if you did live on a pirate ship all your life."

Nima puffed her cheeks out and she could feel her face going warm. "My mom would get mad if I ate too many sweets for dinner." The memory almost made her smile. "I used to hide in empty barrels so I could eat my cookies in peace."

Dan almost shook his head. "You're sure this will work?"

"No, but it's all I have." She put the map under a floorboard she'd wiggled out in a corner. No need for the innkeeper to suspect their guests were criminals. "Unless you have another option."

"We could just try to sneak in through the side and through a window on the bottom level."

She made a face on him and he almost walked away. How the hell was he supposed to know how to sneak onto a ship? He'd never made it a point to try. "We might as well walk in the front door," she said. "The rooms with the windows tend to be _occupied_ you know. A.P.A ships aren't like pirate ships. Those windows usually go to someone's quarters."'

Dan sighed. He really didn't want to do this, but it didn't seem like he had a choice. She apparently took his silence as an affirmative despite his blank features. "Cargo it is."

-:-:-:-

The next day, Nima easily found two barrels filled with wine in the wee hours of the morning and emptied them. She gave them a little time to dry before having Dan haul them over to the harbor before light came out - and was admittedly impressed by how easy he was able to do so. Inside the barrels and over their heads were a netted stash of cotton to stave off any suspicion just in case someone _did_ happen to open up the barrels.

"Now, just be quiet and all we have to do is wait," Nima told him through the hole she'd uncorked in the barrel.

"I'm not the one talking," she heard a quiet growl from inside his barrel.

"Point taken."

Neither of them talked for what felt like forever, Nima's eyes nearly burning by the strong aroma of the red wine that had dried on the walls of the barrel. She could nearly taste it and hoped she couldn't get drunk just off the smell of alcohol in a space like this. The two of them - or at least, she did - had fallen asleep when she woke to the commotion of men barking orders and boots thunking on the wood under crying seagulls.

The barrel moved. She almost dared to uncork the hole again just to see if they'd taken Dan too, but she didn't dare. Not unless she wanted to get caught and doom them both.

As suspected, the men never so much as peeked in the barrels and when the motion stopped and the sounds died, Nima hesitantly uncorked the hole in the barrel. "All clear?" she whispered.

"You checking like that is a brilliant idea."

Nima unhooked the net of cotton and opened the top of the barrel to see Dan standing over her, arms crossed and looking rather unimpressed with ever neutral features. She grinned up at him. "Sorry," she whispered.

Out of the barrel, she observed the cargo room. As expected, larger than your average cargo ship since it was an A.P.A ship. That meant lots of hiding places if maybe something went wrong.

"Okay." Even if they were alone, she still made sure to keep behind the cover of a large crate. "We're in."

Dan only nodded. "We should split up. It'll get us out of here faster."

Nima grimaced. "Uh… are you sure you know how to sneak around a ship?"

"I'll manage."

They got to the entrance and stepped out into a deserted hall. Of course, most of every one was on deck and out in town right about now most likely. Perfect time of day to scour a ship of fully lethal and legally equipped pirate hunters. Without another word, Dan made his way to move down the hall as Nima turned the corner.

"Hey," she whispered, before they were too far away.

He turned around and even from here she could see the ire in his clenched jaw.

"Don't hurt anyone," she hissed.

Without so much as a nod, he dismissed her with a wave of a hand and she swore she actually saw him roll his eyes. She might have huffed if it wouldn't make more noise than she was comfortable with. Rude ass.

She headed toward the stern of the ship, hoping that by some miracle she could slip into the captain's quarters. A.P.A officers, including their captains, had a tendency to be out and about this time of day monitoring patrols and ensuring general public safety. When it was their goal, at least.

Apparently the gods decided to be nice because as luck would have it, the door was cracked open and, even more blessedly, nobody was inside. She was going to give herself five minutes at best. Scouring the drawers, desks and walls, Nima looked for _anything_ with a star on it. Anything at all. She looked on the desk, under the bed, behind portraits. Hell, she even looked under the captain's personal sheets. After combing every inch of that room without totally ransacking it, she had to finally give it up.

It wasn't here.

Her heart dropped. A part of her knew that if it wasn't here then it sure as hell probably wasn't anywhere else. Still, she tried. She crept throughout the ship, going through room after room and doing everything in her power to be as quiet as possible. She went through the officers' personal quarters, what looked like to be the navigator's room, a meeting room and even the galley just in case.

Nothing.

All this and there wasn't a single shred of even a clue as to where this damned charter was. She made it back to the storage room only to find Dan already waiting for her.

"Did you find it?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

He shook his head.

She cursed. "I really thought this might be it…"

Footsteps in the distance started to get louder.

It was Dan's turn to curse now and he grabbed Nima, dragging her behind a large stack of crates facing the doorway. The footsteps got louder. Nima's breath hitched as the door to the cargo room opened up.

"...the captain wants all the new cargo checked sooner rather than later."

"Really? I don't see why it has to be done right this second."

"Captain's orders. He doesn't like to dilly dally on work."

"Yeah, well this new captain's kind of a pain in my ass right now..."

The grumbling got louder and Nima began to back up around another corner. If they caught the two of them...

As she backed up, her heel caught on raised flooboard. She fell back, right into Dan who had blessedfully caught her before she hit the ground, but she yelped. Her hand flew to her mouth, but the damage was done.

"Who's there!?" The boots got louder. "Stowaways? Come out with your hands up!"

She had no such intentions. "Run!"

Grabbing Dan's hand, they zigzagged around the cargo room, running away and toward the sounds of men chasing them in the labyrinth of stacked wooden barrels and crates. Somehow, they made it toward the entrance, but so had the men chasing them who were now also shouting for their comrades.

Comrades in _arms_ that is.

Nima heard the distinct sound of metal being unsheathed and she ran faster, trying to catch up with Dan. Dan growled and stopped only for the briefest of moments to grab her by the wrist and haul her along. "Come _on!_ "

"I can't help it that I'm shorter than you!"

They ran past rooms, past men coming to see what the commotion was all about and up staircases until they got to the deck of the ship. Up to the deck and surrounded by A.P.A officers with rifles raised in their direction. Good god, news traveled too fast on ships. She lookd behind and looked up at the quarterdeck where a man with a square jaw, wavy dark hair and pale dark eyes stared down at them.

Something about his face rung a bell in her head, but she didn't get a chance to figure out why when she spotted a gap between the men on all sides of them. She pushed Dan in that direction. "Jump!"

And over the side of the ship they went. The captain shouted something, but her head was under water before she got to hear it.

-:-:-:-

"Put your weapons _down_! Let them go!"

One of the men looked at his captain, rifle still raised toward the spot where those two stowaways had thrown themselves into the sea. "B-but Captain Sono…! They're stowaways! That's a criminal offense!"

"Thank you, _Shang_ , I know what it happens to be. Now, put your gun down!" Lee grabbed Shang's rifle by the head and shoved it toward their feet. "That's an _order_. They're obviously just kids. Probably got curious what was on a pirate hunter's ship is all. I'm not going to persecute a couple of kids who were most likely just bored with the day. If you're worried, go check the cargo room like I told you to do half an hour ago. Now, all of you, back to work!"

Lee stalked back toward his quarters, his instincts telling him that something was… afoot. What was Jinora's daughter doing on his ship? Breaking in for that matter? And who was that man she was with?

He had some of his men scour the harbor far and wide, but no reports of _The Waterbender_ came back. That was…. curious. He had intended to find it and visit maybe toward the end of the day. Not only to say hello, but also to inquire as to why Kai and Jinora's daughter was sneaking around his ship.

Had she… run away?

Considering the young man she was with, he sincerely wondered if the situation was something like her mother's from twenty years ago. He would sit down and write a letter tonight. Either way, had it been his own child, he would at least want to know her whereabouts. In the meantime, Lee would be keeping an eye out for her again.

-:-:-:-

Neither of them bothered to go back to their room yet, instead staying at the beach all day as they dried up in the sun. Dan didn't speak to her for a while. She didn't blame him. She'd known it was a stupid idea, but it was all she had to go on.

"I'm sorry," she said, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"What are you talking about?" he asked from his resting spot, eyes still closed. He hadn't moved from his spot on the sand. She would have eyed and questioned the bear paw tattoo over a prominent scar on his left hip had it not been for their current ordeal. Charterless, mapless, helpless and clueless as far as what to do from here.

"About… that," she said, gesturing toward The Unagi in the distance down the beach. They had swam to a spot past the harbor and at the far side of the beach. It was peaceful, warm, the sky bluing and bursting with luminous colors as the sun slid down the horizon. The waking stars winked at them from above. She tried to cherish the image. "It was my idea after all."

He didn't reply and she buried her face into her knees. Great. Now, he thought she was stupid. Well, to be fair, _she_ thought she was stupid right about now. It had been such a farfetched idea, but she hoped… gods, she had _hoped_ that it would have been the right idea.

Now, she was drying off after an unwanted swim on a warm evening. It wouldn't have been a terrible situation had they not failed so miserably. And nearly gotten themselves killed in the process thanks to her.

She was out of ideas. So utterly out of ideas. How long would it be before Tianmei deemed her useless and not worth all that magic she had spent?

"You made the initiative."

Nima raised her head. "What?"

He didn't repeat himself. "It was an idea. You tried it. Move on."

"Is that you trying to encourage me?" Nima asked, cocking her head.

More silence. This time, though, her lips almost twitched into a smile. Perhaps he was right and she should just move on to the next idea, but she _had_ no more ideas. No more clever tricks as to where someone might have a map that could potentially lead someone to a god-crafted sword. Would it be somewhere simple? Elusive? In plain sight? Had she passed it over again and again? Was it up high? Or down low? What if it was _invisible?_

That last thought made her groan. "I just don't know…" she murmured. "I wish we could just use any old charter. There are hundreds of that just in the shop over…"

"I can go back to the library tomorrow," said Dan, sitting up and dusting the sand off his back, out of his hair. His hair was really long, to be honest. Certainly longer than hers, reaching down his back and over his torso. It seemed to be made of the sky between absolute dusk and absolute night. "Maybe find out some information. If we can see what makes this map so special then just maybe any charter will work."

"You think?"

He gave a curt nod. "It's all I've got. Besides, perhaps you're just looking at the wrong kind of maps or maybe it's not a map at all," he said.

Nima frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You said it was called the Charter of Stars. A charter really isn't a map. It's more of a legal document that "maps out" legal rights. Sailors just tend to use them to mean the same thing because you "chart out the stars", but they're not."

"So, you mean... it might not even be a map in the first place?"

Great. Absolutely fabulous.

"As it is, it would even depend on where the map was made if it is one. Every map is a little different based on the region it was made in."

Wait.

"Say that again?"

"I said it depends on where you get the map."

"Yeah, but after that."

"Every one is a little different based on the region because-"

"The sky looks different for everybody…" breathed Nima. She heard Dan say something, but she could barely hear him because there it was right in her face. Turning her face up, she saw the stars twinkling down at her, the moon rising and the velvet of night having blanketed any remnants of the day. "The mermaids said that the charter was different for everybody. They said it was right here in Huiyanshan, but it was _different for everybody_."

Dan frowned. "What-"

But Nima was on her feet already. She grinned and gestured with both arms toward the heavens. "Don't you get it?" she exclaimed, her feet dancing in the sand. "It's the night sky! The charter is just the night sky! No two people can occupy the same space so the charter is different for everybody! What you see is just slightly from what I see because we can't stand in the exact same spot! The charter's been here in the entire time! It's right above our heads!"

For the first time in the two days since she'd met him, she saw Dan's mouth fall open if only for a moment. He frowned slightly and looked down, thinking, then up. "The sky maps out the stars. Then the constellations… it's a charter-"

"Because each constellation has a story!" Nima grinned, bracing her hands on her knees, ready to burst. She felt so high off the ground right now. "My Mom and Uncle Rohan used to tell me stories about each of the constellations every time we'd visit Republic City as a little girl!" She bit her lip. "It's not a map because the stars aren't just going to tell us where to go. It's a charter. It's a charter because everything we need is going to be in the stories each constellation tells us. At least, I'm really betting on it. It makes sense and… my dad always said to follow your gut."

Dan stared at her for a long moment.

"Then, we're going to need a storybook."

* * *

Okay, I really liked this chapter to be honest. I felt like Dan and Nima have inched closer together as a team. It felt like a good bonding and advancing the plot chapter after rereading it. I only hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it!

As always, guys I love it when you drop those reviews! I really do appreciate every word! They really keep me writing and keep me going! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	19. The Sea Viper

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **The Sea Viper  
****

* * *

There were numerous constellations in the sky, but eight were far more famous than the rest.

"Roku's flare is technically the closest," said Nima, holding a star map over her face as she rest her head on the pillow. "But we'd have to cross the Amaterasu to get to the Fire Nation and so it's not really close at all. The Walls of Ba Sing Se is on the same continent as us, but we'd have to go inland… so, it's kind of in the same boat as Roku's Flare."

Dan still kept to his side of the bed rather pointedly, but he didn't turn his back to her and faced toward the ceiling instead. "There are hundreds of places under those stars where your sword pieces could be at."

"We need to start somewhere though," she said, still looking at the map. She offered it to him. "What do you think? Closest place?"

He didn't take it, but he turned his head to examine the map, coal eyes surveying the layout of the stars. She'd marked an x on their current position in Huiyanshan. Gods, she couldn't wait to get out of this town. It wasn't like it was a terrible place, but all the time she had wasted here instead of searching for the sword pieces was stifling.

"Roku's Flare," he said.

"You think?"

"It's faster to take a boat than it is to find, catch and trek a ride inward to Ba Sing Se. We're just northwest of the Fire Nation and it would take only a matter of days to get to whatever destination we need to get to. Question is where that's to."

Nima put aside the map and grabbed the storybook Dan had "borrowed" from the library - more like took out and dared the librarian to have a problem with it. He even took her along after she let slip what the librarian had tried to do to her. Nima only beamed at the much shorter, less built man sweat profusely in the face of a Dan who was like a mighty tree all on his own. Needless to say, the book was not expected to be returned.

"Long ago, a firebender named Roku stood against the imperialistic Fire Nation. Where they would strike, he would be, fighting against their armies almost singlehandedly. What helped him immensely was the stone he wore around his neck, a piece said to be forged in ancient times from a mighty comet that only came about once every hundred years. Each battle, it enhanced his firebending to the point that he could fight whole armies practically all on his own. With his help, the colonization movement was stopped from inside the Fire Nation's own borders for a time. But the Fire Lord, his old friend, Sozin, learned of his comet stone and sought it out for himself. Roku could not let this happen. So, he hid the gem away. Deep in the Fire Nation where even Sozin couldn't find it." Nima went on, frowning slightly as she read. "But Roku still had a duty to be the face of the rebellion and to spur his people on. He went into battle one last time. Without the stone, he died, becoming a martyr and rallying his forces through his death and allowing them to win the battle. The war went on for decades, but it is said that the gods, moved by his courage and passion, wanted his spirit to live on. Amaterasu immortalized his flames in the stars, his flare forever guiding the brave and the weary even in the darkest of times. To light the fires of others for all eternity."

Nima closed the book, taking it in. She vaguely remembered that story from a possible bedtime tale somebody probably had read to her long ago. Still, it was nice to hear about such a thing. To hear about the brave in their tales that made them legends.

She wondered if anybody from her family would make it to that way. Well, her father was already pretty famous. No doubt he would make it into the history books. Hell, he was already in some of them.

"So, it's in the Fire Nation," said Dan. "But that's a very broad starting point."

"Or we can start at Gem Fortress Island like the story told us" she said.

He sat up, propping himself on his elbows. "Where did it say that?"

"Well, it kind of told us without telling us," she said, looking at him. "It's a stone. Where better to hide a rock then on an island without a bunch of _other_ rocks?"

Dan blinked at her for a moment. "You're sure?"

"No, but Gem Fortress Island is literally right in the middle of all the other Fire Nation Islands between the mainland and the smaller islands. It's the biggest one that's _not_ the mainland and it's the most famous."

"Gems aren't just rocks though."

"Gems are just nice rocks though. And it's a _comet stone_. So, who knows what it really looks like. Of course, it could just look like a rock. But it doesn't even matter. I mean, the place is literally a fortress. If Roku hid it there then it's honestly the perfect place because it's so well guarded. Nobody would ever get to it. There's only even been one successful breach before in all it's history and that was by my great grandfather, Aang Gyatso. And nobody really knows why he did it, but he _did_ defeat Fire Lord Ozai and ended the war so… everybody just kind of assumes he had a good reason for it."

"Fine, but there's still the question of how we're supposed to get in," he said. "I'm not even sure they let people go there unless they're a part of the security, do they?"

"I… don't know. We can try to figure it out in the morning though," she said, her eyelids feelings heavy. "I don't think I can come up with any more ideas for today."

She rolled over, turning her back to him and ready to let sleep overtake her. She didn't feel him do the same on his side.

"After I found you, why didn't you try to make me sleep on the floor again?" he asked her. "You could have asked again and I would have done it if only to keep the peace."

"You seemed tired," Nima yawned, shrugging slightly. "After I thought about it, I just figured all that looking for me probably took it out of you. You needed some rest. Floor's too hard in this place anyway."

He didn't reply back. When silence truly sat between them, she felt the bed shift.

-:-:-:-

So, this was how Kai felt most of the time. Jinora had hardly slept. Not after Nima died. Not after the witch came and Kai had refused. She couldn't blame him. After all, he was right. There was no telling what the witch would do if they bound themselves to her. Not a single shred of evidence aside from her little show that what she was saying was true.

That her baby was even _alive_. Her baby. Her little girl. Her first born.

Jinora knew it was probably harder on Kai and kept trying to remember that. That if anyone needed to stay strong it was him so he could lead the rest of the crew. So, she had to stay strong for him. But gods it was so hard. So, so hard when the fact of the matter was that she'd failed her own daughter as a mother.

Now, she knew what Korra felt like. Tikaani had run away from home about a year before she'd been captured and it had killed Korra inside a little. Jinora could now say she knew exactly what Korra felt and what she had meant by "something inside of you just dies just thinking about the fact that it's true."

That sure was the truth. Right now, this was Jinora's nightmare.

But hadn't she always been brave in nightmares? In the face of danger? Or, at least, she'd tried to be. Tried not to show fear even if it gripped her deep in her bones. She needed to be strong for Kai, for the crew. For Yung who was trying not to break at the seams a little.

Rama and Taani seemed to be soaking in the much needed distraction since Jinora had set them to work reading books until they could maybe find anything even remotely related to this Sword of Kinguyakki item.

The deck of the ship was warm and maybe a little stifling, but Jinora tried to find anything that needed tending to up there just so she could soak up the sun a little. Feel some warmth in the hole Nima had left.

They ported that day in Shukhekou and quickly got to work seeking supplies, Otaku going to the bookstores and libraries to scour for anything that even mentioned the sword. Kai, too, busied himself, going with the men to make sure they had enough goods to last them a long trip if needed. Who knew where they might end up sailing to? They were determined to not port if it meant finding Nima in the nick of time.

Needing to get off the ship as much as she needed to keep herself busy, Jinora visited the town's resident post center. Perhaps her parents or Tikaani had returned their letters about Nima…

She wondered what they would say in future letters now. Considering everything, it was going to be impossible to explain.

"There's a personal letter for you," said the clerk when she asked. He handed her a pile of letters that belonged to the crew. "Right on top there. Gyatso. From Sono."

Sono?

Jinora blinked. It wasn't like she didn't mind hearing from Lee, but he generally sent letters to both her and Kai _together_. A way of being respectful to the two of them and their relationship. Kai always appreciated the small gesture.

Here, the letter was official, but from his personal desk, his personal seal clasping the paper closed:

 _Dear Jinora,_

 _I send this letter in a most unusual way, currently, out of pure concern. I'd rather think that everything is alright, but I had to check for myself after encountering your daughter on my ship in Huiyanshan. Illegally, that is. I'm not sure why she broke into my cargo hold, but I found it incredibly strange. Even more strange was that you were not reported to be anywhere near the harbor. It was, to be frank, sheer luck I happened to be on deck to prevent her and her companion from being injured by my men. Is everything alright? Please reply as soon as possible. I have a feeling that something is wrong, but I pray that you correct me._

 _From, Lee_

Jinora nearly dropped the letters in her hand, reading Lee's message over and over again. Her eyes probably ran over the words a dozen times before she stopped long enough to comprehend what she'd just read.

 _But I had to check for myself after encountering your daughter_.

Nima. He'd seen Nima. And her companion, dear gods… Dan had done it. He'd _found_ her. Tears leaked from her eyes as she hurried down the busy street and toward the harbor. Nima was _alive_. Her baby was alive. Living, breathing, out there somewhere in the world.

The witch had been right. Nima was _alive_ and no consequence of the truth in the witch's words could erase the joy in her heart threatening to erupt from her throat. It was nothing short of a miracle that her entire body sung for. Otaku and Skoochy looked at her from his desk as she rushed onto the ship, panting, a grinning mouth making her face hurt, but she didn't care.

"Jin-"

"Nima's alive," she shoved the letter at Otaku, her heart ready to burst through her chest. "Lee saw her in Huiyanshan with Dan and, _gods_ , guys, Nima's _alive_. We need to get the rest of the crew back here. We have to-"

Otaku was grinning too, his eyes overbright. "Right, we'll send Po and Nidhi out to grab them. In the meantime, we need to send a letter to him, right away. Does her have her?"

Jinora shook her head. "No, he only saw her, but she can't have gotten far away. We know she's probably around there somewhere."

"But if Nima's alive," Skoochy's voice was unreadable, as if he wasn't sure whether to be happy or afraid. "Then… then that witch was telling the truth. She _owns_ Nima."

Jinora's happiness came down from it's high just a little bit. He... was right. Nima was alive, but she was alive only because of a deal she made with the witch. Her daughter was alive on a conditional agreement.

Such a frail thread of life keeping her baby on this earth. Something caught in her throat. This was indeed a nightmare of a lifetime.

"Let's get the rest of the men gathered and we'll discuss it," said Otaku, putting a hand on Jinora's shoulder. He gave her back the letter, an uncharacteristically steely look in his eyes. "But this is hope. We can't lose sight of that."

Grateful, Jinora nodded. It was all she had to keep her going these days. That slim sliver of impossible hope, almost a dream, was suddenly very real.

They didn't initially tell the crew why they needed them back at the ship, not even Kai. This wasn't something they wanted to just trickle out in waves of information. The whole crew deserved to learn at the same time.

"Gyatso, will you _please_ tell me what's going on?" Kai crossed his arms. He wasn't used to being kept in the dark about things that happened on the ship and it wasn't like the last week or so had been easygoing on his nerves. "Everyone's here. Now-"

Jinora shoved the letter at him. Kai frowned at her, then looked over the letter. He was taking longer than he should have to read it and, she realized, that he probably didn't read letters that were so formal like this often at all. "Nima's alive."

Kai froze and he just stared at her like she'd grown a second head, the wheels clearly turning in his head.

After a moment, he finally breathed and opened his mouth to talk, but Jinora beat him to it. She gestured toward the letter. "He says he saw her. She broke into his ship for some reason and he made sure she got away."

"Does he have her?" asked Kai, eyes glued to the letter.

"No… but he's seen her in Huiyanshan." She took a deep breath. "The witch was telling the truth."

Zedd stood up out of his chair. "Well, if she's there then what're we waiting for? Let's go find her!"

The rest of the crew chimed agreements, disbelief permeating the air. None of them seemed to remember how to breathe. Momo had tears in his eyes, Pabu with an arm around his shoulders. Comfort for both of them. Sudhir was already getting up so he could get to work the second he got orders. All of them were like that, itching to get to work, fiddling with their fingers and whatever was in their hands.

She supposed that they were more in shock than anything. The happiness, perhaps, would come later when they were allowed to really let it sink it. When they really got to hold her and see her again.

She understood.

Yung put a hand on Kai's shoulder, his voice quiet. "Well, what do you want us to do, Kai?"

Kai's face was tight when he tore his eyes away from the letter. "Set sail for Huiyanshan. We'll sail all night and all day if we have to."

The crew cheered it's agreement.

-:-:-:-

The captain of _The Sea Viper_ was a big, burly man with abundant dark grey hair, brown skin and blue eyes. A man very clearly Water Tribe, his beard was beheld into two large sections cuffed off by blue decorative beads. It shuffled back and forth as the man snorted.

"Can _I_ take you get you to the Fire Nation fast?" he let out a hearty laugh. "My dear lass and lad, I can get you _anywhere_ fast. What? You think this ship is called _The Sea Viper_ because the deck is a little slippery from time to time?"

Nima grinned. "So you'll take us?"

"Why, of course I'll take you! It's only a couple days trip and I could use the helping hand around the ship. I'm not as young as I used to be y'know," he said, eyes crinkling. The ship was small, even smaller than _The Waterbender_ , but it was still a good one, a good place for a small crew that picked up stragglers every now and again. They carried small cargo, mail and other such goods up and down the coast of the western Earth Kingdom. With all his resources and wits about it, it didn't take Dan long to scout out for the cheapest, fastest ship that could get them somewhere. He'd gone down to a local sailor's bar in the morning and was back to fetch her by lunchtime.

"How much?" asked Dan, arms crossed. "The waitress at the bar said you weren't pricey. We don't have a lot of money."

Captain Koika shrugged. "No charge. Just help us around with ship chores and we'll call it even."

Dan's face barely moved. "You don't want money?"

"Nope," said Koika, hauling a large pile of role into his arms. "I'm not in the business of robbing teenagers of what little coin they have. I'll take ya for free. All I ask is for a little help. I've hired a new helping hand on board as well, but he's less than stellar if we're being honest. Until I figure out what to do about that, the rest of my men won't have to pick up so much slack."

Koika gestured to the rest of the ropes on the ground and jerked his head toward his ship at the end of the pier. Following his lead, Nima and Dan picked up what was left and followed him. "Why not just kick him off?" asked Dan.

"Well, I reckon I ought to, but I don't want to strand him just anywhere. I'll be talking to him soon and wherever he'd like me to drop him off will be where I leave him. Until then, I'll let him stay."

"That's nice of you," chirped Nima. "Most captains wouldn't do that."

"Yeah, well, some people just need a helping hand. That's if he doesn't shape up, of course. That's enough of that though. We'll be out to sea as soon as we get ourselves together. Here, let me show you two your cabin."

"Cabin?" Dan stopped in his tracks. "As in one?"

Koika didn't stop walking so Nima didn't either. "There isn't a lot of room on this here ship, you know. The men have their own quarters, but we only have one room for extra passengers. Don't worry though, the bed's big enough for the both of you."

Dan wasn't able to retort that before Koika was climbing the ramp onto his ship, whistling some tune to himself. Nima looked over her shoulder at him. "You know, sleeping in the same bed as me can't be _that_ bad. I thought you'd be used to it by now."

He didn't answer her back, but she had a feeling any answer he gave her wouldn't be much of a polite one anyhow.

As promised, they set sail right away and the day was mostly spent helping with dinner for the crew on Nima's end and more laborious ship chores on Dan's end. The crew was mostly made up of men, with one person who didn't really identify as either but went by she most days.

"I was born a girl," said Ranaka, helping Nima slice up some potatoes. "And most of the time I am one, but every now and again I'm not. You know what I mean?"

Nima threw a handful of potatoes into the pot. "I think so. My dad always says that not everybody's a girl or boy and it's not our place to challenge."

Ranaka laughed, golden eyes twinkling in the sunlight coming through the window. Her hair was shoulder length, windswept for all the bandana tied on top of her head "Your pa's a smart man, then. I mean, every blue moon it shifts into not a girl and it's not something that's really a thing, you know? My ma's an herb doctor in the Fire Nation so she always just called me her little plant. Says plants really don't feel the need to decide either so she why should I? It just happens. That's why Saika and I are good together, I guess. He's a kind of straight man, I think, but he doesn't care when I'm a man either. We don't really know. Most of the time I don't go male exactly. I'm just not a girl."

"You guys sound like you don't really have names for it to be honest," said Nima, smiling. "That must be nice."

"Yeah, all I know is that Saika loves me. And the rest of the crew don't give a hoot."

Nima was quiet for a moment. "Sounds a lot like my home. The ship I grew up on, I mean."

"Then you're a lucky little lady, Nima."

"Yeah," she said quietly, pointedly going back to her potatoes. "I was."

Whether Ranaka noticed the change, she didn't mention it. After peeling the potatoes for Janje, the cook - a thin, lean muscled middle aged man, long black hair tied up in a loose bun, with an unnerving way of throwing knives around the kitchen with surreal accuracy.

"He used to be in the circus," said Ranaka, leading her out of the kitchen after a somewhat shocking display of vegetable cutting, knives flying over Janje's head as he switched between them. "It takes a little getting used to, but he's never injured himself let alone anyone else so we just let him do his thing."

"Oh… that's nice. So, Captain Koika says there's a new guy besides us," said Nima.

Ranaka's face fell immediately, her brows swooping down. "Yeah. Guy's name is Icho. Bad attitude. Even worse work ethic. We're a _pirate ship._ Not a free ride. I think captain should just drop him off already and let him find his _own_ way around, but that's not how the cap does things around here."

"He's a nice man," said Nima. "He let us on here for free. So long as we help, of course."

"Yeah," Ranaka smiled wryly. "He and his boy are… were like that."

"Were?" Nima asked tentatively, unsure.

Ranaka pursed her lips, as if debating whether or not she should say anything. "The captain's boy's not around anymore. Ran away," she said tiredly as they neared the deck of the ship. "It's a long story, but there was an argument-" Nima stifferened. "And he just kind of left and never came back. Captain was heartbroken. We still look out for him though. Just in case he'd change his mind. But… yeah, it is what it is."

"Does he ever write, at least?"

Ranaka shook her head.

"That's... " Nima forced down the croaking in her throat as he own family flashed in her mind. "That's sad."

"Nothing sadder," agreed Ranaka.

"So, Dan," began Tehan, one of the stronger men on the ship. Tan skinned and golden eyed, maybe in his thirties. Dan had learned he was one of the chattier men on the ship. "Where did you and your little lady come from?"

Dan set down the small barrel he'd been hauling. "We're not together," he said. "We're travelling together."

"Sorry. Where you travelling to?"

"Fire Nation."

"Sounds nice for a little honeymoon." Dan stood right up, but Tehan put his hands up in defense. "Okay, I'm actually sorry this time. I thought you were just in denial."

Dan wasn't really in the mood. Well, he was never really in the mood, but he wasn't in the particular mood to _tolerate_ it at the moment. Why did the people who love to talk always want to talk to _him_?

"What kind of business are you too looking into?" Tehan asked. "Maybe we can help."

"We're looking for something."

"But _what_?"

"Tehan, quit being a nosy bastard over there," called the man at the steering wheel. He was a sturdy man with enough scars to tell Dan that he'd been through his fair share of battle. "We just met these kids."

"Ah, Hyun, be quiet over there. I'm just making conversation."

"Yeah, well not everyone like to make conversation with you!" The crew on deck laughed at that, even Hyun himself.

"Oh, _very_ funny," said Tehan bitterly, but he was still grinning. He turned to Dan. "Alright, kid, I'll leave you be. Don't be a stranger though, yeah?"

Dan only obliged the man with a nod. He just couldn't wait for the day to end so he could get to bed and get away from these people. Nima was probably having a better time. She was about as nosy as Tehan, honestly. And as much of a chatterbox sometimes.

Dan ran more ideas through his head, thinking about how they might even have a remote chance of breaking into Gem Fortress Island. Perhaps he and Nima could talk about it more in bed later.

Dan almost stopped working.

Since when in hell had that become an even remotely _normal_ thing to him?

* * *

Hi everyone!

Sorry it's been a while. It's been a little bit busy over at my end, but here's another update! More of a transitional chapter, but I have plans here for the crew of the Sea Viper and our heroes. Also, Nima and Dan getting used to each other bit by bit is fun to write.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me motivated and really keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	20. The Dark of the Night

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 ** **The Dark of the Night  
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The moon was high and the summer air threatened to suffocate him in the night, but Kai didn't care and he told his crew as much. For once, he was not going to take no for an answer concerning whether or not he would replace Sudhir's night watch shift. This time, it was a captain's orders.

He hated to leave Jinora by herself in their room, but, gods, he needed to _think_.

How would they even find Nima? And why hadn't that damned bounty hunter sent them a letter yet? Sent a letter and _waited_ so Nima's family could come and join them? In fact, what in the hell was he doing breaking into APA ships with her?

He half hoped it had something to do with this quest of Nima's - the probable answer - and not some kind of wild renegade thing. His daughter had just come back alive. It would be more than nice if she'd _stay_ that way.

Kai winced. Of course, she only had to worry about that because of himself.

If the gods allowed them to get through this he wasn't sure how he was going to live with himself. Hell, he wasn't sure if he _would_ live with himself. How bad of a father did he have to be to get his own child killed because _he_ ignored her.

Maybe he shouldn't have come up here alone. He deserved to be, but… for once, he wasn't sure he _wanted_ to be alone as much as he felt the need to be. Still, he could feel Jinora's phantom warmth beside him.

He wanted her softness to make the world feel real again. Her steel to make him feel like he could do this. Like it wasn't so hopeless. He'd even be happy if maybe one of his other two children came to find him.

The hatch on the floor opened up slowly.

"I'm awake," he said to whoever it was. He wasn't looking. The sky had his attention.

"Hey," said Jinora, cloudy eyes looking the way he felt. She didn't say anything for another moment as she settled next to him. He didn't fight it and she continued, "I know you need time to think, but I just really don't want to be… alone. Not right now. Not at night."

"You think about her most at night," he said, rather than asked.

"Everything's still. And quiet," she whispered. He wrapped an arm around. She looked up at the sky. "I feel like even the stars are judging me sometimes."

She laid her head on his shoulder. Kai sighed. "Do you think she's okay, Gyatso?" he asked.

Jinora was quiet for another long moment. "I think Dan's taking care of her."

"That's not an answer," he said not unkindly.

"I have the same question, love," said Jinora. "I want that answered too."

Kai's throat got tight. If the stars were judging them then he prayed they would be kind to Jinora. It wasn't her fault. No, it was his. His and Quil's, really. If he had just told her _something_ about himself. _Anything_. Not… not shut her out in every way possible.

But he'd always hidden parts of himself. Always. Even from the people he loved most in the world. Jinora had been the only person who really got him to open up and, even then, that had been a bumpy ride. How was he just supposed to tell his daughter that he'd regularly been beaten to a pulp as a child by someone who was supposed to take care of him? That his father had been a bastard and a monster and had killed his mother? And his sister-

It was all too much. Nobody could expect to tell someone all that let alone their own _child_. Nima didn't need to hear or imagine those things. She deserved to be free of those kinds of troubles and pains. Free to see the world as a wide open place full of opportunity rather than sorrow.

But maybe that had been where he faltered.

Maybe he had failed to give Nima a certain balance. Because, then again, he also wanted her to be safe. Had he not always told her to be cautious? Had he not always taught her to use her wits? Maybe Nima had needed to know about hell.

Maybe he had confused _knowing_ and _experiencing_.

Now, she was in… gods, she was in the most unthinkable position. As for himself and Jinora, it was a parent's worst nightmare. The only ray of hope was the fact that Nima was alive and even that was slightly tainted. His daughter was bound to a witch in exchange for her life being spared. Spared being a very light term.

Die free or live a slave.

Kai knew which one Skoochy would have chosen.

That was what scared him. This deal. This deal could take Nima in so many directions and she'd already been through enough. He just-

"Captain, I'm right here."

Kai glanced down at her. "I know, Gyatso."

"No, I mean that I'm _right here with you_. We're in this together, okay? All of us. And we're going to get Nima back. You know we will…" she said. "I can practically hear your heart trying to escape your chest."

"It's trying to find yours, I think. Or Nima's," he said almost inaudibly. "It doesn't know where to go."

"It can stay here for now. It still needs to help you lead the men on this ship. Your family."

Kai touched his cheek to the top of Jinora's head. His heart and his family. Problem was, his heart felt like a small chip of it was missing. Still, his wife was right. He needed to stay strong. Two other children still needed their father, after all. At least, that's what he reminded himself of every single day when he looked in the mirror.

A particular star in the sky twinkled at him, a beauty among lights of heaven. He wondered if Nima was looking at the same star.

-:-:-:-

Dan was already in their shared room when Nima came down from deck. She needed some time to herself. To think. To see if the sky would give her anymore answers or would she be on her own for now.

"I know how we can get into Gem Fortress Island," said Dan. He was pouring over some book on the small desk in the corner of their little room, bending over so he was bracing himself on straight arms. His hair was down, covering his face like a silk curtain. Must have just oiled it.

Nima blinked. "You do?"

"One of the books you nabbed from the library in Huiyanshan talks about how the only ship that goes to the island brings supplies. It's the only one, but also the most direct way to get there. How much would you like to bet that ship also brings major shift changes?"

"Okay… I mean, that's great, but I doubt they're going to let us on their ship of supplies and armed guards," she said, peering at the book he was looking at. A map overtook both pages. "I don't exactly qualify as security."

"You don't," he said, just glancing at her. "But I can."

"...explain please?"

Dan tapped the marked capital of the Fire Nation. "Tehan used to be security detail there before he got into some trouble and had to flee the country. He pointed out that the easiest point of entry was when it docked on the mainland. There, the ship rests for a while before bringing in the next shift change. If we can port in Hidama, Tehan thinks he has the right connections to acquire the schedule and guard roster. From there, we can work on getting me onto the ship either as a stowaway or an impersonator. I'll do what I can from the inside while you follow on The Sea Viper."

"Wait. You convinced them to help us? How?"

"I didn't," he said, shrugging, but he almost seemed irritated. Almost. "They're nosy. And when I explained that it was important they just wanted to. I don't know what their game is, but I'm sure we'll find out on the way. We can deal with it then."

Nima made a face. "They seem like nice people though. Maybe they honestly want to help?"

Dan straightened up, closing the book. "We're about to break into one of the most well guarded fortresses in the world. I find that hard to believe."

She snorted a little, turning to crawl into bed for the night. "You obviously weren't raised by pirates."

-:-:-:-

The blood was pooling around her, drowning her, consuming her air. Nima could see those cruel, blue eyes. They were taunting her as she began to soak in her own life. It wouldn't stop.

Captain Quil stepped in it, over her, and slowly crouched so she could see his face easier. "It's your own fault, girl," he said, grinning. "You're a damn fool. Just like your father. A life for a life, right?"

"No, I didn't mean it! I was trying to help her, plea-" she stammered, then coughed as the blood lurched from her throat as well.

"Excuses, excuses... I can't believe my luck." he chuckled, but his voice turned monstrous, deep and devouring. "It appears that I get to be the judge, jury and _executioner…!_ "

She tried to scream, to little avail, as he morphed into a terrible monster with horns, unnaturally paling skin, molten eyes and ominous black and white smoke wisps for limbs, the mad laugh of a wicked woman and a demented horror of a man echoing from his mawed jaws surrounded her. Sharp, jagged teeth, laughter bouncing between them, snapped at her face-

Nima sat up, gasping for air and damp from cold sweat. Her lungs were burning she was sucking in air so hard, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. She glanced around, at the small window letting in shafts of moonlight. Dan was asleep beside her, his back turned to her, unaware of the abyss that had quite nearly melted from her own head.

How she had not screamed, she didn't know. Maybe, somewhere in her subconscious, she was reminding herself that Dan was sleeping right beside her. She didn't want to disturb him.

She wasn't totally sure she wanted him to know what hell had taken place in her head just a moment ago.

Carefully, she slid out of bed and out of their room. Gods, she needed air. The deck was just cool, the summer waning into sleep for the year. Still, it was never _too_ cold so deep into the Amaterasu Sea. The sea of eternal summer always with a flame in its proverbial pocket.

Nima looked up at the stars as she came on deck. Maybe it was Roku's Flame ablaze over them in the sky or Amaterasu herself wanting to welcome it's weary travellers. She took her time climbing up to the crow's nest of the ship.

"It's just me," said Nima when she saw Captain Koika cease his carving from the floor hatch she crawled up through. "Sorry... I hope it's okay for me to be up here."

"A'course lass," he said, patting a large hand on the spot beside him. "It's a nice night. Not too hot. I could use some company up here." His eyes crinkled with mirth. A far kinder blue than what she'd just looked into. "The stars are nice and whatnot, but they don't exactly talk."

Nima smiled. She glanced down at the wood and knife in his hands. "What are you carving?"

"A lion hound," he said smiling fondly at his creation. "That's my clan, see. I've made an art out of carving these, Hyun says."

"Yeah, I have a couple uncles who are carpenters," said Nima. "You could probably have a good conversation with them."

Koika laughed a little, his grey beard shifting as he did. "I always say a man who knows how to make art from wood is a man with a good temperament… now, lass, I have to ask. Aren't you s'pposed to be asleep? It's awfully late out here," he looked up. "The moon is nice and high."

Nima felt her insides drop. It always felt like this. Even with her family. Clammy nervousness when she didn't know how to tell them that her own mind had turned against her in the night. Her gaze fell downcast. He'd probably think she was crazy, nice as Captain Koika was.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want, lass. But I do think it would be good to. Nothing's worse than letting your hearts poisons fester," he said gravely, smiling wryly. "Or, at least, tell your boyfriend there-"

Flushing, Nima shook her head. "Oh my god, no. We're no- he's not my boyfriend, we're just travelling togethe-"

"Calm yourself, lass," he said, grinning and putting his hands up. "See? There's a little bit of life in ya. You've gotta shake off any of that negative energy when you can."

That almost made her crack a smile, then she remembered why exactly she was up here and sighed. "I… kind of- I just had a nightmare. That's all… well, it's not all, I mean- It was…" she swallowed hard. "It was pretty horrible. I almost don't want to go back to sleep."

"...mind I ask what was it about?" Captain Koika asked quietly.

"A man. A monster."

"He hurt you."

"You have no idea." Nima's voice was but a whisper. "He didn't… you know, he didn't rape me. Though he's tried in the past."

"Is he a family member?"

"No!" Nima shook her head immediately. " _No._ I think that's why I probably seem weird for someone like that. I mean, I was raised primarily by men. I have a lot of uncles and we all live on the same ship so it's like having over twenty extra dads. Besides my own. Of course, there's my mom too, but… I know I'm weird. But I know men can be really good people because my uncles are the best guys I know. But that guy… he's… he's not a man. He's a monster."

"I don't think that's strange at all. I think that makes sense." Captain Koika set down his carving beside him and laced his fingers together in his lap, perfectly attentive. "The thing about monsters, whoever this monster is, see, he probably started out something like you. That's the terrible part. Nobody is really _born_ a monster. Born terrible. Most people, at some point, start out like you. Lost and trying to find their way. That's the thing though. Would you ever try to hurt someone the way he did?"

"Never. Not ever. That's… it was cruel."

"Exactly. That's the difference. At some point, you learn right and wrong. The difference between monsters and people is that people don't disregard others who suffer. Monsters learn to disregard other people and it becomes a way of life. You know why I'm telling you this, lass?"

"...maybe?"

"See, lass, you know better. You know not to hurt people. The thing is, some people don't. Or, well, they don't _care_. You need to understand your monsters to escape them. Now, you don't have to excuse or forgive anything they do. That's not what I'm saying. That ain't required. How you choose to move on is between you, yourself and the forces that be. Everybody's different." He cleared his throat. "Point is, everybody starts out like you and you know better."

"But some people don't," she said. "What about people who end up in terrible situations? What if they're taught to be… bad. From the time they're born."

"That's the funny thing," said Koika, crossing his arms. "Nobody ever is just shown bad things in their lie though. You don't _just_ meet bad people. You meet good people. People that smile at you and mean it. Part of it is just temperament, you know. Some people would just prefer security to kindness and that's the sad part. Tell me, how old was this guy?"

"I don't know… old? At least fifty."

"Oh, then, he's known what he's been doing for a long time. Let me tell you a story lass. I grew up in a small outer village in Sedna. South Pole that is, I'm sure you know. In my younger days, raiders were a plague and our village was one of the first they would hit. Eventually, we had to abandon the village and went to live in the city after things were declared too dangerous that far out, but I was already ten. Ten when I'd seen family members killed in front of me and people I knew and loved taken from the world too early. And nothing my parents said made that any different. I was bitter. But I like to think that I let enough people be kind to me, let enough people get to know me that by the time I was a man, I ended up looking back and knowing where _I_ was wrong. That's the thing about adulthood, you know when you were wrong. The difference is if you cared and want to correct it."

"So… you're saying even if this guy possibly had a terrible childhood, the final decision was his." Nima pursed her lips. "That's almost worse."

"Maybe, but it's true. The world's more generous than people take it for. We never count our blessings. It gives you opportunities. Examples of what's right and wrong and it all comes down to what you're built for and what you allow yourself to be built for. That's something even the children learn kind of early. Any of your uncles not grow up exactly right?"

"Oh, a lot of them. One of them was a slave most of his life, a couple of them lost their parents early, or never had parents," she said, thinking about it as she looked up at the stars. "...my dad apparently had a really bad childhood."

"And what does he do?"

"Liberates slaves for a living."

"See. So, there always has to be this fine balance between understanding and excusing. People forget that excuses are the reasons why something is okay. If something's not okay, then there's no excuse for it. You can understand something, but if there's never a reason to do something then there's no excuse for it. That said and whatnot, don't ever mix up compassion and excusing something."

Nima sat back against the wood wall of the crow's nest. "What do you mean?"

"See, I'm telling you this because I see you as the type who would get lost easily. No offense, it's perfectly natural for someone your age, but this kind of situation is complicated. People think it's as easy as the sun and the moon. For some people, it is. It's easy to regulate their anger. Others, it's not. I don't see you as the angry type though. I can see it in your eyes. You have quite a few feelings going on in there. You can feel bad for someone, understand them, you can _forgive_ them should your path take you there, but don't excuse something horrible. Don't make them even have a flicker that it's okay."

"...can I ask you something?"

"Sure, lass. Anything."

"Did anybody ever hurt you?"

Koika sighed. "A distant uncle. He would keep care of me when my parents couldn't and always would use me as his punching bag, then blame me for it because I was 'bad' and was a clumsy idiot."

"What did you do?"

"Well, long story short, my parents found out and basically don't talk to him anymore. Of couse, after my father gave him the good one two if you know what I mean. It was more than just a tap here and there. He'd make me bleed."

Nima's stomach lurched at the thought. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. It was over thirty years ago. I've forgiven him since then. For a long time, I didn't, mind you, but eventually I just started to feel like he was weighing me down in adulthood so I worked on letting it go best way I knew how. Sounds odd, I know. A lot of people think that because that's how I chose to deal with it that something is still wrong with me. I never said I told him what he did was okay. His parents abused him from a young age and I get the whole cycle thing. But I don't talk to him. I never plan to. Forgiving him was how _I_ chose to move on because, for me, the anger was too much to keep in my heart. It was killing me. And this is the point of everything I've been telling you, lass: don't let your heart get confused. You know it better than most. Everybody wants you to be angry, but angers a poison. For most of us, that works against you. Get angry, but don't _stay_ angry. That's how men like him are made. That's how you forget about right and wrong. Get angry enough to walk away then work on letting all of that go as much as you can. Move on with your life without him in it as best you can. Whatever way you can."

Nima wondered when she started breathing again. Really breathing. The air felt natural in her lungs and her chest opened up for air. Something, still, was slightly off though.

"Captain Koika?"

"Yes, lass?"

"I forgot to mention. He's not my boyfriend or anything. He's just a guy that really, really hates my dad."

Koika put his wood carving back down and blinked at her. Then, as if it it had all registered, he nodded his head. "Ah! I see, I see… well, the same rhetoric still applies mor're less I guess, but… he's also just an asshole that was fucked the wrong way, lass. People like that are usually beyond your help."

Nima sighed, suddenly exhausted. "I just want him out of my life. Completely. I hope I never see him again," she swallowed hard. "I don't want anything to do with him..."

"One day he's going to get his. He hurt you to get to your dad and people like that eventually get a taste of their own medicine one way or another. Don't worry. You don't have to be responsible for that. Not your job. Not your weight to carry…" He looked down at her with a small sad smile. "Okay?"

"...okay. Why're you telling me all this by the way?"

Captain Koika only smiled, not looking at her as he went back to his carving. "Because some people just need to have a good talking to after they have a nightmare. Makes you feel like you got some control over it, y'know? Feel any better?"

As a matter of fact, that tight anxious knot that'd been in her chest wasn't quite so painful. The night seemed a little more beautiful than it had a couple minutes ago. As if the darkness had taken a step back for the stars.

Truly, Roku's Flame was a lovely constellation now that she got a real good look at it. She let out a breath and peered up at Captain Koika.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Don' mention it. It's what I do. Think you can get yourself some sleep now? If you want. You seem like you could use the rest."

"I probably should," Nima yawned. "Tomorrow's supposed to be a long day. Speaking of which, are you sure you want to help us? I mean… you don't even know _why_ we're doing this."

As much as she thought Dan's view pessimistic, their task was something of a tall order.

"I don't see why not if I'm perfectly honest. You kids need help and it sounds like a good opportunity for some plunder. Weren't you raised on a pirate ship?" He quirked a brow, amused. "Sometimes it's just fun to get into a little trouble too."

"Do you just always go around helping people with impossible things?" she asked, honestly smiling now.

"When I can," he said, adjusting the knife in his hand. For a moment, it paused. "It kind of goes back to what I said, lass. You're going to find that there're lots of people in this world you won't be able to help. I guess this is just my way of evening the odds. You could say it's a callin' of mine." He finally looked at her again with a bittersweet smile. "Now, off you go. People your age shouldn't underestimate the value of sleep you know."

-:-:-:-

Traces of moonlight barely illuminated the hall back to her room, but Nima could still see something moving in the dark. It made her stop. Her heart stopped beating for but a moment.

"...hello?" Damn it, she didn't have her knife with her. But Ranaka's room was literally right there between her and whatever the thing was. Had someone snuck onto the ship? She didn't remember seeing any kind of ship in the distance. If they had, at least she could yell for help.

There was definitely something there slinking in the darkness. It stopped when she called to it. When it moved again she took a step back.

Well, it wasn't exactly a monster, but she didn't breathe a sigh of relief. Icho was a gangly young man with heavy dark brows and curly dark hair. His eyes were a pale green faded against fair, sickly pale skin and Nima had the distinct impression of an unhappy ward patient looking at him. In this darkness though… he seemed to fit. And not in a good way.

"What are you doing up?" he snapped, keeping his voice low.

"I went to see the captain…" Nima blinked. "What are _you_ doing up?"

"Just looking around is all. None of your business exactly, is it?"

"You asked me first. I think it's only fair I get to ask you."

He didn't answer her, but she could see that permanent scowl on his face. For a moment he didn't do or say anything. Then, he took a couple steps closer.

Instinct told her to take a couple back. She could see his face better in the little bit of moonlight in this hall. His eyes were focused on her entirely.

The dining hall and the kitchen were on the other side of the ship. This side was mostly used for storage and one other purpose.

"The only thing down this hall is a cargo hold," she said. He walked forward again. She backed up again. "And Ranaka's room."

He didn't answer her, but hadn't taken his eyes off of her still.

She asked him again, "What are you doing up?"

He made his strides longer, faster suddenly and reached a large, bony hand out for her, his sickly pale eyes barely flickering out of focus.

"Let me take you back to your room," he said.

Something large dipped out of the darkness to her right and had she not seen the sheen of black hair, she very well might have screamed.

Icho was tall, but he wasn't as tall as Dan or nearly as built. Dan bore down on Icho, stone cold, one with the darkness like it welcomed him. A wolf bearing down on a lesser predator.

Nima swallowed. Dan's face was in front of hers and right in Icho's. Even Icho had frozen, his body leaning away from the pure proximity of the much larger man now inches away from his face. Looking at Dan's face, she couldn't say for sure if Dan was baring his teeth at Icho or just gritting them.

What was he doing here? Not that she wasn't relieved to see him, but - she looked down - he hadn't even put on a shirt.

"What are you doing?" he asked Icho, a distinct low rumble in his normally rich, cold voice.

Icho didn't seem to be breathing when he said tightly, "Nothing."

"Wrong answer."

Dan didn't deign as unmistakable fear flashed across Icho's face. He grabbed Icho by the collar in one hand and hoisted him over his shoulder with the other. Icho was frozen in what was probably a mix of fear and honest debate as to whether or not he should do anything. Clearly unarmed, he seemed to decide against making a ruckus and let Dan carry him like a large sack of potatoes.

Dan looked down at Nima. "You can go back to the room."

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," he said, paused, and added, "I mean it."

For some reason, Nima believed him and let him walk away. She went back to their room, her entire core both tight and loose at the same time. If Dan hadn't been there-

She shut her eyes tight when Captain Quil's grinning face flashed in her mind. For but a moment, she was twelve again. Twelve and scared and lucky that her family came to save her before-

The door opened and Dan came through it, looking at her, nothing in that stony, handsome face. She wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but she thought she saw a slight spark in his eyes. He didn't say anything for a minute, eyes locked on her. His stance was neither menacing or looming, but he did study her.

"I'm fine," she finally said. "He didn't touch me."

He nodded and she swore his shoulders relaxed just slightly.

"What did you do with him?"

"I put him in the brig," said Dan, still standing there. No signs of a wound or a scratch on his strong torso. Icho had decided his decision not to fight back was best apparently. "It was unlocked. If not, I was just going to go tie him up somewhere."

"He didn't fight you," she said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"He would have been stupid to."

She agreed. The fight would not have been even. That was for sure, the proximity of Ranaka's room notwithstanding. Despite all that had transpired, she could still feel the elephant bear in the room. The question not asked. She wasn't sure she exactly wanted to explain it all again.

"Can you tell me when you go off by yourself like that next time?" he asked. It was a straightforward question. Nothing condescending or belittling in his tone. Nothing hidden.

Because even if she liked Captain Koika, people like Icho still lurked. Of course, she should have known better by now. Not that she had expected Icho to be slinking around the darkness of the ship like a wraith. She nodded.

He still didn't move. The air stood still between them. Not suffocating or stifling, but as if to let the moment pass. The thing that bothered Nima the most was how little Icho's obvious intentions had truly hit her yet. She knew, of course, but it wasn't exactly a new idea to her. She just… never expected it.

Sometimes, she should have asked why, but then again, she knew the answer to that too. Frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to ever believe those intentions. They were hard to imagine. Hard to really pinpoint. Not because they were impossible to come by, but because that required her to think about herself on some level that, maybe, she actively tried not to reside on. If she thought about it, that was why she was here, wasn't she?

If she had just taken a minute to think that running off the ship that day when Quil had caught her might have been unsafe, maybe she wouldn't have-

It was her own doing. As usual.

Her life as a pirate had always been marked by freedom. A freedom unbounded. A freedom as wide as the ocean that she lived on. A freedom from the world, in actuality. From herself. When she sailed those cerulean seas, the world couldn't touch her and she couldn't hurt anyone. She was but a leaf in the wind. Gods, yes, she should have been _aware_ , but being aware meant letting so many things in. Letting so many thoughts and feelings threaten to overwhelm her that she just-

Couldn't the world stop spinning for just _one_ damned moment-

"Do you want to sleep by yourself?"

She looked up at Dan. He still hadn't moved.

Nima smiled a little. "I think it's a bit late for that."

Tired and actually kind of cold, she patted the spot where Dan had been sleeping. When they climbed into bed again, she ventured out and put her back against his. He didn't mention it.

* * *

So, I really liked this chapter, personally. It feels like another milestone in their personal journey. A very subtle one, yet not? I don't want to say too much and let you guys interpret this particular chapter yourselves. Lots of organic feelings here.

As always, guys I love it when you drop those reviews! It really keeps me going and keeps me writing! If you could spare a minute to share your thoughts, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	21. Strangers

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Strangers****

* * *

Icho was left in the brig come next morning. It was a fight with Ranaka to prevent her from going to throw the young man right off the ship and into the ocean. She seemed less upset that he had tried to come into her room for her than she was that he had cornered Nima in the hallway. Captain Koika almost seemed inclined to let her do it - or do it himself his eyes blazed so much when he heard what happened - but he ultimately told the crew to leave him in the brig.

"He'll get his, but I won't have anyone on my crew stooping to his level," said Koika.

Ranaka scoffed. "I can re-elevate myself, I promise."

Koika chuckled gruffly, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yes, I know, but we'll find somewhere nice and _cozy_ to send him. Don't you worry. We picked him up in Republic City. We'll drop him back off there. He was running away from there for a reason and I have a feeling it's a group called _the authorities_ ," he pointed out. "In the meantime, Janje, make sure you get this ship smelling as good as you can. I want that mouth watering smell to permeate the _entire ship_ if you catch my drift."

Koika winked at his cook, who cackled and wagged a knife at him with approval. "Best way to torture a man is through his stomach. Aye, cap'm. I'll get working on that duck I've been keeping in that salt barrel."

"Duck?" Nima said, her mouth instantly watering. Her Uncle Daw sometimes cooked duck. Gods, she missed her Uncle Daw's cooking so much. His vegetables were something amazing too. She missed him making her his scrumptious special seasoned carrots for a snack.

The idea almost depressed her. Would she get to see him again? Get to eat anything he cooked? Taste every bit of affection her had for her in those special recipes he knew she favored?

Koika's hand clamped down on her shoulder. "It's okay, lass," he said solemnly. "He won't be able to get you or anyone else down there. And there he stays until I throw him off this ship. If I don't do so anytime soon." He looked up at Dan, who was standing beside her. "Good lookin' out, kid. I wish you could stay. I could use men like you. Of course, I'd love to have you around too, lass. No offense."

Nima smiled. "None taken. I like it here. I just have to get back to my family."

"Aye, they're lucky to have you."

Nima refused to let her smile falter, no matter how untrue Captain Koika's station might be.

Aside from finding out about what Icho tried to do, the day went on as normal. Janje's duck was enough to drive Nima crazy and she could hardly work with that smell going throughout the ship, but it made dinner all the more worth it. She heaped on the vegetables, grabbing slices of duck and almost fainted finally having some _good_ food in her mouth. The time she spent in Huiyanshan was mournfully absent of food to eat. She mostly survived on a myriad of swiped snacks, fruits and vegetables. Thankfully, her Uncle Tyyo had taught her how to pickpocket food easily. Here, Janje was a good cook. She'd never say he was better than her Uncle Daw, but the past few days on the ship had been _much_ better than Huiyanshan. Familiar even.

"Quite the appetite you got there, Nima," said Hyun, nodding appreciatively at her plate. "Even The Lonely Mountain over there is still only on his first place."

Nima bit her lip, glancing over at Dan who paused in his eating for just a moment, eyes blinking coldly. Well, it wasn't a completely unfair assumption. Aside from his general grumpiness, Dan _was_ a mountain compared to Hyun. Hyun was short, shorter than Nima, really, by half a head, his naturally tanned face clean shaven aside from a little scarring and bald head wrapped in a red bandana.

"I'm the resident stomach on my ship, normally," she said. "Unless my uncle's made blackberry pie, then my brother can and will eat it by himself. My uncle just goes ahead and makes a whole pie just for him now."

Hyuna flashed white teeth and grunted, amused. "You're brother's a boy after my own heart then. I love me a good blackberry pie. Janje makes a blackberry _cake_ when my birthday comes around. Bless him."

"I've got you, brother," said Janje from across the table, waving a sheathed knife in hand. "If he's real good, I put rum in it."

Beside Ranaka, Saika was a rather unassuming looking young man, his well brushed hair as brown as his eyes. Still, his tan skin offset the beige shirt he usually wore. He smiled. "That's if Captain hasn't finished all the rum, of course. He downs it like water."

Ranaka chittered. "And he _sings_ when he's drunk, too."

Nima giggled at the image. Her Uncle Lefty flashed in her mind. The last time he got drunk, he had the whole crew roused. "My Uncle Lefty can outdrink anyone. One time, my grandpa was feeling confident enough to challenge him to a contest about it. We had to drag him to the sleeping quarters because he blacked out. And he's not exactly a lightweight."

"Well, now it's official," Koika's voice boomed as he laughed. "I've got to meet this Lefty. Sounds like a man who knows how to keep his liquor down!"

"If you asked him, he'd tell you tales about where he's drunk all the best alcohol. He has a story for everything."

In the corner, Foba was a quiet young man. He wasn't anything like Icho, no,. He was nice, smiled when you looked at him. He just seemed to prefer a journal and a pencil than to long conversations. Janje mentioned that he'd saved Saika's hide once with a handy bit of swordsmanship. Still, he did speak from time to time, his blue eyes startling and black hair wavy. "What ship do you come from, Nima?" he asked. "If it's okay, I mean."

"Oh, uh… Well, my ship's called..." Nima glanced at Dan, but he continued to eat his own food, cutting his eyes over to her once. A clear signal that whatever she said was her own decision. It wasn't his life, she supposed. She turned her attention back to the table. "It's called The Rosebud. We're a small ship like this one. Do some plundering here and there, but nothing huge."

The _Rosebud?_ She was, frankly, appalled with her choice of fake ship name. The Rosebud, indeed.

Koika nodded slowly, patiently even. He flashed a smile that he almost seemed like it was twitching. "The Rosebud. Well, that's a… a lovely name."

"Yeah, right terrifying. For a pony, mayb- ow!" Nima heard Hyun mutter before a very obvious Tehan gave his shipmate a hard nudge in his side.

"So, how did you two meet anyway?" asked Tehan. "Were you from the same ship?"

"No," said Nima, shaking her head. She was well aware of Dan's preferred choice _not_ to do the talking. To anyone, if he could manage. "He came to find me. I, uh, kind of got _lost_ see-"

"Oh, we see alright," snickered Tehan. It was Hyun's turn to do the nudging.

"Don't mind them. Not every pair of the opposite sex has to be eyeing each other in some way." Saika shook his head at his crewmates. "Even if you do have some kind of chemistry."

"Saika usd to be a matchmaker in his village," said Ranaka, placing a hand on his shoulder. "So, he should know."

Nima could feel her face getting hotter by the second. "Nope," she said quickly. "No chemistry here. Not even bubbles. I mean, he's-" Well, Dan wasn't exactly friendly. "-he's doable, but- oh gods, that's _not_ what I meant."

Hyun and Tehan cackled, Hyun slapping his knee as Saika hushed them both. Even Foba in the corner there was clearly smiling behind his conveniently now open journal. Koika chuckled. "Oh, lass, they're just teasing. Don't get yourself in a knot. Alright, you all, cut it out. Leave these kids alone."

"Sorry, you two," said Tehan, grinning. "It's just fun having new people on the ship."

"It's fine," said Nima. She couldn't bring herself to so much as look at Dan at the moment. "I'm kind of used to it most of the time with my family. I guess it's just different with newer people…"

At that, Tehan seemed to sober up a little. His smile turned slightly sad it seemed. "You miss them, huh?"

She could only nod with a weak, "Yeah," added to it.

She did. She could only hoped they missed her nearly as much as she did them.

Koika stood up. "Well, we'd better get cleaned up and hit the hay soon. We'll be porting in Hidama early in the morning."

-:-:-:-

If there was one thing Jangi was good at it was lying. Lying came easily to him. Even lying to his Captain wasn't exactly the hardest thing in the world - though it did make him the most nervous. Still, Captain Quil wasn't a hard man to lie to. That is, if you told him half truths with it.

But today he would not lie. He _couldn't_ lie about this.

The sun was sapping away what little energy and patience he had left as he swiped things from the marketplace. Quil always paid for his things, but it was more of a condescending "of _course_ I can afford this" rather than a moral compass. That man lacked a moral compass. Or, at least, it'd been broken for a very long time. That was why Jangi followed him, of course. Who better to be first mate to than to a man who didn't care when you did a thing with ethics right out the window? As long as it didn't cross any of his own _personal_ rules, agendas or codes, then Quil generally didn't care how you did something. Just get him results.

The thing about Quil was that his favorite results were the ones he reaped himself. And he very much meant _reap_. That was why Jangi did a double, no - _triple_ take when he got a good look at the girl. _The_ girl.

Light brown skin, brown hair, _green_ goddamned eyes that he swore looked like-

No, it couldn't be.

But damn it all to hell, the height was right and he remembered very specifically the build of her body.

No, it literally _could not_ be her. But he looked. And he looked again for good fucking measure.

 _That_ girl.

That girl was dead. He'd seen it with his own eyes when Quil drove his sword clean through her.

But, somehow, here he stood on the other side of the market street, staring at the profile of the Gyatso girl Quil had killed - he had fucking _seen_ her die. This shit wasn't right. She turned toward him and apparently didn't see him. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. That was definitely her face.

He had to be seeing things. Had to. Shit, it was that drink last night, wasn't it? Had to be. What the hell had Taino that swinefucker put in it this time?

But his heart stopped when she turned toward a tall, muscular young man with long dark hair and brown skin of the Water Tribe-

Wait. That was the bounty hunter Quil had hired from that one captain, wasn't it? There sure as hell no mistaking _him._ The kid was a goddamned oak tree with legs.

This time, she turned again and looked straight. He didn't stay to see if she'd recognized him.

Who was he going to get to tell Quil this one?

-:-:-:-

"What is it?" Dan asked her, glancing in the direction Nima was looking in. Nima cocked her head, feeling the oddest feeling as if someone had been watching her.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "Anyway, what's that schedule looking like?"

Dan glanced back into the bar Tehan was busy drinking in- and cajoling his old buddy to provide him with the schedule to _The Sozin_. With the rest of the crew busy, Nima didn't feel quite right being on the ship alone without Dan. As much as she liked Koika and his crew, it still wasn't exactly… home. Or maybe it _did_ remind of her of home and that was the problem.

Oddly enough, Koika hadn't been seen that morning. When she asked, Ranaka told her that he was still in his quarters taking care of some paperwork. The ship was a little quiet that morning. Thankfully, Tehan had invited her and Dan off the ship.

"It sounded like it was going just fine," he said, drifting into the shady spot under a canopy next to them. "You didn't tell them about what ship you're actually from."

Damn it. She was hoping he wouldn't mention that.

He went on when she didn't answer him. "You don't trust them either."

Nima frowned at him. "That's not it. It's just not really important, is it?"

He shrugged. "That's your call, isn't it?"

Making a face, Nima crossed her arms. "Don't you ever, you know, _smile_ or _like people?_ Not everyone has ulterior motives or wants to take advantage of you."

At that, Dan's face didn't so much as twitch. He leaned against the wall of the bar, crossing his arms over his chest. Stoically. Like the most stoic stoic to ever stoic. What was new? She walked up to him and put her arms in front of her chest, shaking herself out as she frowned fiercely. This time, he raised a brow at her. "What are you doing?"

"Acting like you," she said, glaring at passerby who weren't paying her any mind. "Hating the world and everyone in it."

"I don't 'hate the world and everyone in it'," he said. She was impressed. He kind of sounded like he wanted to get defensive. "I just don't think everyone's out to help you. Because they're not. I didn't think I'd have to explain that to you."

Nima rolled her eyes, unwinding her little performance when a couple people started to glance at her. "Okay, but not _everyone's_ out to _eat you alive_ and _gut you_ and stuff. I mean, yeah…" She cleared her throat. "Last night was bad, but Icho doesn't exactly represent everyone I'll ever meet so…"

Dan actually frowned at her this time. "Do you ever take anything seriously?"

"Of course I do," she said, shrugging. "I just didn't get my copy of the The Suspicions newspaper this month."

"You do realize that he would have raped you last night, don't you? I thought you understood that," he said coldly. "Everything can't be some peachy game that you get to shrug off whenever you want."

Nima's throat closed up. She stared at him for a moment, feeling her face falter. Whatever words she had withered in her mouth. Unable to really look at him right now, she turned away, finding a fruit stand to busy herself with until Tehan was done.

She found that she wasn't hungry.

-:-:-:-

On a normal day, Quil usually let the things Jangi sent others to tell him slide. Normally, whatever issues he had with what was said were taken out on whoever was within his proximity. Whoever had actually delivered the message. He didn't particularly care who caught the brunt of his wrath, personally. Later, he would question Jangi about it. The little weasel seemed to think he was so smart it was always rather amusing watching him half grovel as he lied through his teeth.

Today though.

Today was too… insulting. He wouldn't stand for this kind of blatant disregard to his own intelligence. Jangi clearly thought he was either insane or stupid. And, that, he would not have.

"You called?" Jangi's voice was timid as he knocked on the door. "Boss?"

"Get in here and shut the door."

Thin as a reed, Jangi slipped into the room and did as he was told, noticeably staying close to the door. Quil's lips twitched into a small smile. He tapped his desk with a brush pen. "I suggest you get closer or else I might have to come over there."

That seemed to make the weasel get a little smarter. Jangi stepped forward, into the center of the room and across from Quil's desk where he could see the white of the man's eyes, at least.

"Boss?" Jangi inquired, his voice trembling. He was standing at attention, but Quil could tell that he was doing his best not to go about wringing his hands like he did when he knew he'd been caught.

"Care to explain why you sent that idiot, Shenmang, to deliver that bold lie of yours?" asked Quil, drumming his fingers on the arm of chair. "The last time I checked, you were _there_ when I killed the girl."

"Boss, I _swear_." Jangi shrinked under Quil's gaze. "I'm not making it up. I only thought it convenient to have someone tell you so I can take care of other-"

"Save it."

"I _swear_ that I'm not making it up, Boss. I _saw_ her. I saw the girl. She was alive!" He got on his knees when Quil stood up and walked around his desk. "I even saw that bounty hunter, what was his damn name? The tall one…"

But Quil bore down on his first mate, on his knees, and made sure that eye contact was clear between them. Jangi's face fell, his mouth open as if to beg for mercy, but Quil beat him to it.

"I _killed_ the captain's daughter. I personally slaughtered her like the livestock she was. Nima Gyatso is _dead_. And I may be a busy man, yes." Quil grinned. "And I am many things, yes. But insane, senile or stupid are not among my many qualities. Do you understand?"

Jangi nodded miserably, the fear clearly making his limbs shiver.

"Good," said Quil, reaching out and adjusting the collar of Jangi's shirt before he yanked it so their faces were close enough that Quil could see his first mate's quivering irises. "Now get back to work before I get some _other_ lying moron to do your job. And I don't have enough room on this ship for someone who can't serve me with any respect. I'm sure you can understand that, can't you?"

Jangi nodded again. "You won't hear about it again, Boss."

Quil didn't let him go right away, staring him in the eye to make sure that was _real_ fear there. When he was satisfied, he threw Jangi back to the ground and let him scramble back up to his feet.

"I'm glad we have that understanding," he said, going back to his desk and settling back in his chair. He only had so much daylight before the sun would leave him to finish this paperwork by candlelight. He dismissed his first mate with a wave of his hand. "Now get out and go make yourself useful."

-:-:-:-

Nima stayed away from Dan for the rest of the day. She found other things to do, other things to busy herself with. He didn't ask her about her distance. Not that she ever expected him to.

Tehan had been able to get his friend to agree to deliver the schedule to him first thing in the morning. Despite Tehan's friendliness, Nima was still a little surprised.

"It's just a stretch, that's all," she said, washing dishes while Foba beside her was dried. He rolled his long sleeves up to his elbows, revealing white skin and a horizontal thin scar on his left arm. "I can't believe someone would just give that kind of schedule up."

"Never underestimate alcohol and people who hate their job," said Foba, smiling faintly. "I hear the warden doesn't treat his soldiers very well."

"So, I'm guessing that means he's actually horrible and his men can't stand him?"

Foba actually laughed. "Pretty much."

Despite his quiet nature, Nima found that Foba was actually quite sociable. Certainly more than Dan. The guy didn't say much, but at least he _smiled_ and made conversation. And here Nima thought she would be helping with the dishes in total silence.

"So…" Nima began, curious. "Is it okay if I ask what kind of things you write in your journals? You don't have to tell me if you don't want if it's personal. You're just kind of always…"

"Glued to it," he said kindly, his voice having a certain soft quality to it. "I am. It's nothing exactly _personal…_ not in the way you're thinking, at least. I'm a writer. I like to write novels and things like that, short stories maybe. Sometimes I'll write to a newspaper for a little bit of money if I'm feeling up to it. I can be quiet out here," he said, gesturing to the air and the world in general, but then he pointed to his temple. "But I'm not in here. That's all."

"Oh, that must be nice. Having somewhere to put down all your ideas," said Nima, smiling.

"Are any of your uncles writers?" he asked.

Nima thought about it just for a moment. "I don't actually know," she shrugged, struggling slightly with her voice as she shoved down a certain bitterness that was dragging up guilt right along with it. "They don't really tell me everything exactly."

If Foba noticed her odd moment then he didn't say anything, taking the last dish to dry from her. "Is that why you left?"

Nima could feel her face fall and she looked away. She heard the dish clank against the other dished in the cupboard rather hard

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. T-that was too much," he stammered. He sounded like he was leaving when she reached out for his sleeve.

"No, it's okay," she said, hating the guilt and slight panic in his voice. "It was probably kind of obvious, wasn't it?"

He nodded and pursed his lips, meddling with his fingers and staring downcast. "Sorry. I'm really sorry-"

"It's okay," she said, not even bothering to dry her hands when she put placed them on his arms. "I promise it's okay. It's not a big deal. Just… how did you know?"

He seemed to calm down after that, a small nervous smile curving his lips. "Takes one to know one, right? That's the saying, isn't it?"

Nima nodded and tried to return his smile. "Why did you…?"

"It's a longer story than we probably have time for, but let's just say that my grandfather wasn't exactly man of the year," he said, raising his forearm and showing off the thin scar on his left arm. "Basically. Kind of. What about you?"

 _You don't trust them either_.

Nima bit her lip. She didn't exactly want Dan to be right on this one. "Promise you won't say anything."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Foba said.

"Well… my dad and I kind of… we had a huge fight. Biggest fight we ever had-"

"Did he hit you?" Foba asked, frowning.

"No!" Nima's eyes widened at the very thought. As children, her mother had always been the one who spanked them when she or the twins were misbehaving badly. But her father? She couldn't even imagine it and she _certainly_ couldn't imagine it the way Foba was implying. "He would never hurt me. Not… not like _that_. He just… we didn't talk and I left to clear my head and…"

She swallowed. Maybe this was a bad idea. How exactly was she going to explain that she just _got lost?_

"And stuff happened," Foba rolled down his sleeves. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Stuff always happens. I get it. You don't have to tell me everything right now. Or ever if you don't want."

"...thanks."She said, shoulder slumping. "Thanks for understanding... it's weird. I want to talk about it, but I-I can't. Not yet."

Even now, a lump was forming in her throat and her stinging eyes betrayed her. She missed her ship. And her bed. And the hugs before bed and in the morning. She missed her family's voices. Their smiles. She missed her mother's warm touch and her father's kisses to her forehead. She missed the twins…

Now, her entire world was just _different_ and _unfamiliar_. _The Sea Viper_ crew were great, but…

Not home.

The smells and sounds were different. Even the way the wood felt beneath her feet just wasn't the same. As nice as it was to be in a somewhat familiar environment, all of it only made her crave for home _more_.

Foba shrugged, pursing his lips. "It's okay, you don't have to explain yourself to me. Thanks for sharing. It's… you know, having a new person on the ship. It's nice, but it also makes you curious. Nervous even."

"This is your home," Nima said, nodding. "And I'm a guest. A complete stranger. You just want to know who I am."

"Yeah… this is my place in the world, honestly. At least, in this chapter of my life and… yeah." Foba looked down at his hands then back at her. "You miss your family. I get it. Honestly, I really do."

Nima let out a breath.

Gods, she was glad someone did.

-:-:-:-

That night, before they went to bed, Nima did her very best not to look at Dan. He didn't pay her any mind. So, it would probably be best if she didn't pay him any mind either. He would probably prefer it that way anyhow.

"Are you going to keep acting like a child or are we actually going to communicate about this heist of yours?"

She heard him say it in his normal apathetic voice. Now, Nima always considered herself someone of a fairly even temper. Balanced. She was neither a hot head like her Uncle Skoochy nor had the patience of a god like her Uncle Longshot.

But, damn it, she didn't have to that this.

"You know," she twisted on her heel and turned to him, frowning at him. "If my silence bothers you so much then why don't you just _apologize_. Like a _regular_ human being?"

"I was telling you the _truth_ ," he said, crossing his arms. "You can't just brush everything off just because you don't want to face the facts."

Nina made an undignified sound. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That your situation - and all the situations you seem to get into, are serious." He growled. Impressive. He actually growled at her. "Grow up a little. He was going-"

"I _know_ what he was going to do to me! Thank you very much!" She walked up to him so that they were facing each other, her hands balling into fists. "I'm not an _idiot_ and I'd appreciate it if you didn't _treat_ me like one! How I deal with the things that happen to me is _my_ business! You're nothing to me so why don't you _back off_?"

Nima tasted the way her words soured just as she saw his face do the same. He seemed to glower at her for a moment before turning his back on her and getting ready for bed in utter silence. She obliged him. She didn't touch his back the way she did the night prior, keeping to her edge of the bed, in fact.

Her nightmares were vivid that night, blood and cruel blue eyes terrorizing her so that she woke up cold and breathless.

Turning onto her back, she swallowed down the urge to turn and poke Dan. Apologize. Even if he didn't accept it or care. She hadn't meant to take out her frustration on him. Her mother had taught her better than that.

Finally, she had someone to bother with her. Someone who knew her family and knew some truth of her. And she'd essentially told him to go to hell.

"Miserable," she let an almost inaudible whisper escape.

She screwed her eyes shut as tears leaked back into hair.

Miserable. Miserable Daughter. Friend. Person.

She hated the night.

* * *

A transitionary chapter with some important stuff honestly. A lot of relationship things going on in this chapter. As Nima gets to know The Sea Viper crew, Dan seems to be a confusing part for her. A frustrating part for both of them mutually and it's a muddled time for both of them, I think. Next chapter should be up pretty on time since I have up to chapter 23 up. Should be regular for a little while!

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me writing and really keep me motivated! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	22. Waning

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Waning****

* * *

The next day, Dan seemed to be the one doing the avoiding. Not that he was ever exactly attached to her at the hip, but he seemed to act like she didn't exist. If the crew noticed, then they didn't say anything. Getting the roster from Tehan's friend was that morning's first order of business. After that, she thought it perfect to start talking about their heist of one of the world's tightest fortresses ever built.

He didn't look at her when she came up beside him while he poured over the schedule to the roster from their room desk, but he also didn't pull away from her.

"Here," he said, pointing to a man's name. "Rangyo Tokujo. He's about my age. Brand new, according to the notes Tehan's friend left. I just need a uniform and credentials and we'll be in business."

"Hyun's already got a uniform. He, uh, liberated it off one of the drunk guards last night when he was out," she said, staring pointedly at the schedule.

"Good. They leave early morning tomorrow. We need to be ready by then."

He turned to leave and Nima couldn't stop herself from blurting out, "Where are you going?"

Just as quickly as he'd stopped walking, he started towards the door again just as fast. "I have the day to find out where this Rangyo Tokujo stays at so I can steal something that would prove to the other guards I'm him. A uniform is nothing without credentials."

"Oh," was all she could say as he was leaving.

Well, that was… brief. It wasn't exactly horrible or anything, but it had been a painfully brief exchange. Too brief for anything to come out of it between them. Nima sighed. Just when they'd taken two steps forward now they were three steps back.

Later, Nima finally spotted Captain Koika out and about, though he didn't seem like his ordinary cheery self. Not feeling very festive herself, she tried not to bother him. The entire day felt… odd. Awkward. Like she was always in the wrong place in the wrong time. Finally, apparently fed up with her weirdness for the day, it was Hyun who approached her on deck as she leaned over the railing, watching the sun glint over the curve of the waves.

"Okay, Missy," he said, gesturing to her as he sank his teeth into an apple for lunch. "Out with it. What's with you and Prince of the Year?"

Nima almost smiled. "Nothing. We're fine. Just-"

"I may have been born at night, but I sure as hell was not born _last_ night. We got a big day tomorrow and we need you two not in some weird conflict that may get us all killed," he said gruffly, eyeing her. "So 'scuse my nosiness."

He had a point.

Nima let out a sigh. She told Hyun about the fight between her and Dan. He listened, nodding as his munched on his apple. By the time she was done, he was finishing his last bite and tucking the apple core in his pocket.

She blinked when he chuckled at her and said, "Ah, young love."

"We are _not_ in love."

"Never said it was romantic." He winked at her. "Even if it is."

She promptly frowned. They weren't in love and she'd really appreciate it if people wouldn't keep making an awkward situation more awkward. He seemed to get the hint and put up defensive hands.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop. I promise," he said, clapping her on the arm. "But you two clearly do care about each other to… some degree. Here's the thing that is obvious. He's still here. If he really wanted to leave then what's honestly stopping him? You two are making this harder than it's got to be. Just talk."

"I know, but… he's not really the talking type. He just says what's important and moves on."

"Then frame it like it's important. He probably doesn't know how to communicate with you either, honestly. Most of those big ol' silent type don't."

"They're silent, but they're human." Nima turned as Foba came and joined his crewmate, journal in hand. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear."

Nima flashed a smile. "It's okay. It's not exactly a big secret or anything."

"We're family, you know," said Foba when Hyun nudged him playfully. "We just tend to share things is all. Conversations included… but Hyun's right."

"Usually am."

"Let me rephrase that," said Foba. "Hyun is right this once."

Nima ducked her head as Hyun shot a look at Foba, snorting at him with indignation. "Family... " She repeated. "So, you guys do see each other as family?"

"Oh, yeah. Can't know and work beside people this long and really come out of it anyway else, can you?" Hyun huffed a laugh. "Koika, Tehan, Janje and I go _way_ back. We used to pick up pretty girls back when we were just lads ourselves. Of course, Koika and I taught Tehan how to do it right. He was just a youngin," he said fondly. "Been travelling together for decades. Ranaka's been around for a few years and we met Saika soon after that. Lucky for them. Those kids have been in love for a long time. And Foba? Koika's known him since he was just a kid. Met him when he was just a wee lad clinging to his ma's skirts."

Foba nodded. "It's true." He hastily shoved his free hand in his pocket. "If you'll excuse me I need to go find him anyway."

"Oh, okay…" She said, watching him go. She also noticed Hyun's gaze followed him too. "Sounds like my family…do you have family back home?"

Hyun nodded. "Lots. Tong Gong is my hometown so I get to see them a fair amount. Some I get along with, some I don't. But you don't exactly get to pick them, right?"

"You don't like your family?"

Hyun shook his head. "Oh, no, don't get me wrong. I love my family. They're crazy sons of bitches sometimes and there have been a time or two when I wanted to throw my hands in the air and be rid of them, but…" He shrugged. "They're mine. We stick together. Just like the one I got here sticks together too. Both, not in spite of everything we've been through together but because of it. The gods blessed me good in life is how I see it. I've got good people all over."

Hyun flashed her a genuine smile. It made her brave enough - or dumb enough - to ask, "Is there… anyone you wish wasn't your family though? Like… a daughter or a niece?"

She knew she'd said too much when Hyun crossed his arms and frowned at him, a puzzled look crossing his features. She looked down. That was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Now, he was going to think she was some kind of brooding drama queen-

"But of course not, lass." Hyun nudged her. She peered him from beneath her lashes. "Look… I got a daughter myself. She's grown now, but growing up she was a handful. Fiery thing. Lots of spirit. She and I used to butt heads sometimes, but… she's my girl. That's my baby. I wouldn't trade her for all the power or gold or peace of mind in the world. Cause then I'd lose all the things I've come to love about her since she came into the world, including just her out there existin'." He dipped his head slightly so she could see him better. "And I can't see _anyone_ not wanting you, Missy. Not a mean thing anywhere in you. You hear me?"

Nima nodded, feeling her eyes sting. He smiled, his scarred, nicked face not looking at all harsh with that kindness in his dark eyes. It reminded her of her Uncle Lefty and the way he used to comfort her. Gods, she _sorely_ missed his bear hugs.

"I still said what I said to Dan."

Hyun shrugged in acknowledgment. "Yeah, but you care enough to let it bother you," he said, winking at her again. "And that counts for something. Don't be so hard on yourself, kid."

She smiled at him. At least somebody else seemed to have confidence in her. "Thank you, Hyun."

"Don't mention it, Missy. Anytime."

-:-:-:-

Dan came back before dinner, flashing her a badge with Rangyo Tokujo's name on it when she dared to ask. "Tomorrow is his first shift," said Dan more to Koika when the captain walked up and less to Nima who'd been standing there already. "So, nobody should know what he looks like. Besides, according to Tehan's source, the ship is huge and not everybody necessarily knows each other. I'll just need to lay low for a day. Two at most. And do my best to stay clear of his superiors. Hiding out will be the best course of action."

The plan seemed so simple. _Sounded_ so simple, but she knew that, in reality, Dan was putting his neck out here. She wanted to ask him if he was sure. If he was caught, they'd brand him as a stowaway. If he was caught working with pirates then they would brand _him_ as a pirate. And that…

That she would never forgive herself for. The consequences for that weren't of the forgivable type.

Still, she and Dan didn't talk after lunch or even during dinner. Every time she saw him, the words died in her throat. His lack of attention to her didn't exactly help either. If he cared so little then why was he doing it?

Oh. Right.

He needed to return her to her family. Then, he could be rid of her.

She'd forgotten that Dan had been hired for a job...

Retiring for the day, she wondered why their bedroom felt so… suffocating. Cold, yet stifling. Yet warm all the same? It felt like a fever. Like the room had a disease.

"You _are_ pathetic."

Nima felt Tianmei melt out of the shadows at her back before she saw it. Stiff, she turned around. Tendrils of smoke and black hair swirled around, framing Tianmei's pale face and the witch's molten colored eyes watched Nima with a bored wicked pleasure.

When Nima didn't answer her, the witch grinned. "I heard your conversation with the dwarf man," she drawled. "Are you _always_ this emotional? My god, I wouldn't have bothered to resurrect you if I knew you were such a cry baby."

"I'm not-" Nima did, in fact, feel her eyes sting a little at just the sight of the witch. Why couldn't Tianmei just leave her alone? "He's not a dwarf. He's just short. And he's a nice person."

" _And he's a nice person_ ," Tianmei mimicked. She let out a little laugh, her fingers steepled under chin. Crawling through the air, the tendrils of smoke trailing along as she came toward and around Nima to touch her face with long, pale pretty fingers. "Not a bone of iron in your pretty little body." Nima hugged herself and Tianmei clucked her tongue. "Don't be ashamed. Cowardice is just who you are. Some people are afflicted by it."

Nima shook her head, trying to keep eye contact with the witch. Even if that face made her wither inside. Her father would have wanted her to not break eye contact. "I'm not. I'm not a-"

"Aren't you though?" Tianmei rushed right into Nima's face. When Nima gasped took a small, panicked step forward, the witch grinned. Her grin got wider when Nima's shoulder slumped. "Is that not why you took my money? If you were _so concerned_ for that _poor_ woman then why didn't you come face to face with me? Tell me about how I was so _wrong_ for treating her that way?"

Nima's mouth fell open, but no words came out. Why hadn't she? _Had_ she been afraid? The thought never… never really crossed her mind.

Tianmei straightened herself out, going back to lounging on air in that unnerving, unnatural way of hers. She shook her head mournfully. "No wonder your father refused to take my deal. We hadn't really gotten to discuss it in. I never did tell you the details of my visit, did I?"

The world came to a halt around her. Even the very air seemed to stop moving. In fact, the only thing that seemed to be moving at all was the feeling of dread spreading from her heart into her veins like an infection. Part of her knew she shouldn't have taken Tianmei so seriously, but that other part of her, the part that wanted nothing more than to have both of her parents in her arms _right now_ , felt a start of panic.

Her voice strangled by a forming lump in her throat, she said, "...No, you didn't..."

"A true tragedy. It really is the way they threw you away like that," Tianmei's brows upturned in a concerned expression, mocking for all it was. It shifted to one of satisfaction as she spoke slowly. "I went to your father. On his very ship, I went to him and gave him an opportunity to help you. Assist you in finding the pieces you need and I would reunite him and your family with you right away." Tianmei's face became sad again like she was switching between drama masks. "But he refused, dear."

He…

He really said no?

In all her life, her father was always the type of person to step in first when someone needed help. She never had any doubt that he would provide some kind of assistance when someone needed support. But now…? When she _needed_ him? Did he really…

No.

Nima shook her head."There _has_ to be a good reason. He wouldn't just leave me out here like that."

"No," Tianmei said slowly, her tendrils edging closer as she swirled through the air again. "But did he exactly? I mean, he did send the bounty hunter. But then again…" She appeared on Nima's side, putting an arm around her. "He _did_ send the _bounty hunter_ , after all. Didn't even try to come find you himself. Didn't take my deal when I said I would _reunite_ you all. All he had to do was help you in your quest. But perhaps…"

"Perhaps what?" Nima urged. She couldn't believe this. Her eyes blinked rapidly, her chest hurting.

"My dear, is it possible that he's simply _ashamed_ of you? I mean, that they all are? Nobody dared to change his mind, after all. Think about it." Tianmei drew back, placing herself on some invisible seat and crossing her hands over her lap, addressing Nima with a delicate cock of her head. "Everything you do ends in disaster, does it not?"

Nima swallowed hard. "You don't know _anything_ about that-"

"I know everything about that," Tianmei said with an unnaturally still smile, the warmth not reaching her eyes. "That and the other times too. You get to know someone when you bring them back from the pass between life and death."

When Nima didn't answer, she went on, sighing. "Those poor girls. Honestly, that girl that means so much to you… Tikaani, wasn't it? Korra Iluak's baby girl? She'll never be the same after what she did for you, will she? And the other girl… gods, what was her name?"

"Don't, please-"

"Was it Nahra?"

" _Don't._ You don't _know_ -"

"Nah Ja." Tianmei raised a finger, lifting herself from her seated position as if she'd had an epiphany. "That was her name, was it? A girl not too much older than you are now. She had so much left in her, but as I recall _you_ are the one that let her life fall through your fingers."

Nima felt her throat close up and tried to blink away her tears. She willed herself not to cry in front of the witch, not to give her that satisfaction, but try as she might her body betrayed her. Her lip even wobbled a little.

"I tried to help her," Nima whispered.

"You tried and you failed."

Triumph flashed in Tianmei's eyes. "It is what it is, but it seems obvious to me why your family might be less than enthused about having you back. Love is such an obligatory thing sometimes. They want you back, but also don't exactly _want_ you back? It's too hard to miss you, but also so much less stress without you."

"They don't need me..." Nima said that more to herself than to Tianmei.

"No, they don't. Of course." Tianmei shrugged. "I could be completely wrong. You're family could love you to bits and just… you know, your father's childhood probably damaged him beyond repair and he just doesn't know _how_ to love you. I mean, he could just be a terrible father-"

"He is _not_ a terrible father!" Nima marched right up to Tianmei, fists at her side and getting in the witch's face as much as he could from her height. "Don't talk about him like that!"

"Calm down, seahorse," Tianmei raised her eyebrows, putting a finger on Nima's forehead to push her back. She brought her fingers together in contemplation. "You do realize these things are a cycle, do you not?"

"I don't care," Nima said, shaking her head. "He's not like his dad."

Tianmei threw her head back and laughed. "But how would you know?" she cackled. "He never _told_ you about _his_ father. He never told you anything. You weren't worthy of the knowledge."

Nima unclenched her fists, the spirit in her crestfallen. Despite that, she still shook her head, "My dad's good. He's… he's trying. I won't let you talk about him like that. Any of them."

"It's not about what you're going to _let_ me do, my dear." Nima felt her lip do that thing it tended to do when she glared, puckering out into a pout. She pursed her lips to correct it and attempted to look more intimidating to a seemingly all powerful witch. Tianmei rolled her eyes. "Such a fiery little thing. One bit of fuel and you're all spilling over your stones. If you're so sure, then answer me this: If he's not the problem, then who is?"

Nima's shoulder slumped. She blinked slowly as Tianmei sauntered over to her just as calmly, smiling and taking Nima's hands in hers. They were soft and cold. Perfect and, yet, so wrong. They seemed to switch between warm and cold, as if undecided in what temperature to be. What state of life to be in. Dazed, Nima let her. "My family's not the problem," she said, again, more to herself than Tianmei. "They didn't do anything."

"My dear, someone is _always_ to blame for failure." Tianmei dipped her head down to peer at Nima. "And I think we know who that is."

"...me." Nima didn't quite close her mouth after the word fell from her lips.

Tianmei smiled painfully. Like one of those rich snobbish women who'd just delivered some bad news they weren't sorry about. "Everything you do results in failure. Perhaps your family is simply tired of it. Tired of cleaning up your messes and having to go to the ends of the earth just to put out whatever trouble you've started." She started to nod, emphasising her point. "Their love for you is _waning_ my dear. Even family love, obligatory in nature, has it's limits, does it not?"

 _Their love for you is waning_.

At that moment, she wondered if Tianmei had reached deep in her heart and pulled the words right from that little voice inside her head. That question she asked herself again and again since this entire thing had started. Maybe even before…

Did they miss her? Would they care if she were gone?

Somehow, she'd convinced herself that _yes_ , of _course_ , her family missed her. All those I Love You's over the years weren't meaningless. All those smiles and hugs and moments of laughter.

But standing there, looking in Tianmei's eyes…

Her words just seemed so real. The room became ten degrees cooler. Every heartbeat inside her seemed a little weaker than it had just seconds ago. Hell, even her breathing shuddered out for a moment.

All Nima could manage of her cracking heart was, "No…"

Tianmei's eyes glinted, the molten color flashing over them with something that Nima's brain might have ticked her off harder had she not been feeling inebriated on her own sorrow. But that had to be, right? She was a pitiful girl. Like Tianmei said: pathetic. Her father wasn't a horrible father. He just had one horrible daughter.

"Now, see, don't fret, my dear because they may be losing their love for you..." Tianmei backed up, letting go of Nima's hands and smiling at her with those baleful lips. "But _I_ can help you."

A clawing, dying thing in Nima's heart leaped. "You can?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"But, of course, my dear. Is that not what I am here for? To help you?" Tianmei opened her arms up for Nima. Numbly, Nima's legs moved and she found herself in the witch's arms. She barely registered the hand stroking her hair, laying her head against Tianmei's feverishly icy hot chest. Nima felt the warm, pulsing beads hanging around Tianmei's wrist as her hand came up, running long slender fingers against Nima's skull and neck through her hair. The act would have made the hair stand up on her neck a few minutes ago. "Helping you helps me. Besides, I've grown fond of you. You need so much support that I can't really help myself. That bounty hunter is clearly having none of you, but _I_ am here for you."

"What do I have to do?" Nima whispered.

Her eyes flicked up at a piece of parchment with the characters of her name etched onto the bottom in red each and the words above it written in languages she couldn't recognize. It swirled into existence before Nima's eyes and she finally realized that this was her contract. "I'm willing to put one more condition on your deal," Tianmei said, continuing to caress Nima's head. "When the time comes, you will be put to a task for me. One task. Then, it's all over. In return, I will plead your case for you. After all, if your family sees that you can do something right then their love for you will be _restored_. Better than ever, I'm sure. You help me when the time comes and I will tell them what you've done for me so bravely. How does that sound? Do we have a deal?"

The familiar bone white quill swirled to life like the contract. Like they'd done before.

Feeling nothing but a piece of her threatening to wither away, Nima lifted her hand as if it were dead weight and grabbed the pen. The tip found it's way to the parchment, signing the red characters of her name on the line underneath her previous signature.

"Good. This is very good," Tianmei cooed. She let go of Nima carefully. Like she really was reluctant to let Nima go before she was ready. "This will pay off. You'll see. I'll be in touch."She waved a ghostly hand. "Goodbye, dear."

Then, the witch was gone.

"Were you talking to someone?"

Nima hadn't known that she had been standing there long enough for Dan to come in and maybe hear, but not see that Tianmei had just been here with her. She wasn't sure if that was for the better when she belatedly shook her head and said, "No. No, I wasn't. I was just-"

The words got caught in her throat.

She didn't know exactly… _what_ to say. Perhaps, start with an apology, but that didn't quite seem right. It wouldn't do to simply call him out again and start another argument unprovoked. All she wanted to do was get back on track with her… working partner.

Because that's exactly what he was.

Not knowing what else to say, she sighed and just let her hands rest at her sides. "Just be careful tomorrow, okay?" She said, letting what came natural to her. What she'd been thinking about since this plan was conceived. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Dan paused in what he was doing at the desk, his head almost turning to look at her but stopping just shy of being able to see past the profile of his nose. Still, she thought she saw a head nod after a moment.

* * *

This chapter is really transitionary and I'm not sure I'm too fond of it, but anybody who reads my stuff know that I tend to like taking it slow. Besides, I did kind of need this chapter to do what it did. Plus, I love the fact that Tianmei made another (necessary) appearance. This little conversation will be revisited in the future. Next chapter is going to be devoted to seeing what Kai and the crew are up to, then chapter 24 will definitely have things happening. And I say that with complete assurance that things will be picking up in chapter 24. So, that's the chapter to really look out for.

But I want to thank everyone who's been reading thus far! It really means a lot! As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! Those are what really motivate me and keep me writing this story! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	23. Searching for Fates

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Searching for Fates  
****

* * *

Kai had never considered himself particularly… supernaturally gifted.

He was well within his belief of magic, witches, gods and all the like, having had his fair share of experience with that side of things over the years. In fact, he'd had a fling with a witch once - _long_ before meeting Jinora - that turned his eyebrows yellow when he had to end things. The crew never let him forget it.

He himself had never actually been the _source_ of anything spiritual or supernatural. He was usually just an ordinary piece of the puzzle. But arriving in Huiyanshan, Kai could _feel_ the energy here that drew him.

He could almost feel that this was where he was supposed to be. Something about the place was setting off every vibe that Nima had been here.

First thing was first though. Lee Sono.

Lee had been the last person to see Nima if only for a moment. After receiving his letter, Jinora quickly wrote to him, asking if they could meet in Huiyanshan. They were pleased to see that the APA ship was still there. If Sono followed the instructions Jinora had left him in her letter then he would be looking out for them and they would be receiving some kind of signal soon. Otherwise, Kai was going to find him, subtleness be damned.

As it turned out, he and Sono felt the same way.

Lee came up the ramp to the ship, dressed in a plain manner of a coat so not to attract too much attention with his Anti-Piracy Association uniform. It would be unbecoming of an APA captain to be seen conversing with a bonafied pirate, after all. The years had aged him slightly, as it had them all, and they could see the faintest hint of salt in his dark hair, the barely there but most certainly there lines around his mouth from age and stress and, perhaps, even laughter. The man had found his calling in life.

"Thank you for coming, Lee." Jinora hugged him and Lee returned it, lightly clapping her on the back. "We really appreciate it."

"Whatever I can do to help. I'll say that I was… surprised to see Nima on my ship. I don't understand what she needed. Nothing was taken, as far as I know and I've checked." Lee reached out and shook Kai's hand as he talked. "I tried to find her, Captain. I really did."

"I know," said Kai, a lump in his throat. From the way Lee was talking, he had no clue where Nima was. "We should… tell you what happened."

Lee's face morphed from incredulous to horrified to a twist of both as Kai and Jinora told their story of the past couple weeks. Kai didn't blame him. He sure as hell felt like he was _living_ a horror story.

"That's… yes, I- Yes," was all Lee could manage after they finished. He wet his lips. "A _witch?_ "

Kai ran a hand through his hair. "Yup."

"With no legs?"

"Smoke for legs, but yes," said Jinora.

After a long moment, Lee said, "Uh... " He cleared his throat. "First of all, I'm so sorry. That's…" He shook his head. "No parent should have to go through that."

Kai would cry in front of Lee Sono when hell froze over, but there was still a strain in his voice as he said, "It was a my fault."

"Captain-" Jinora started.

"Gyatso, it was my fault. You know it. I know it. Everybody on this ship knows it."

She stared at him for a while, then said to Lee gently, tiredly. "It was _our_ fault."

Kai didn't want to push the issue. Frankly, he didn't think he could handle an argument with her right now and he appreciated Lee's lack of a comment on that part. Of course, what was the man supposed to say? It wasn't like this was something your average person dealt with on any normal day. "You're the last friend who's seen her, Sono."

Lee pursed his lips, thinking. "So, she;s supposed to find this... magic sword?"

Kai nodded.

"Then, she's supposed to give it to this witch?"

"The witch is using her," Jinora explained further. "If Nima doesn't get the sword, then she dies. Once she does what the witch wants then the witch lets her live. She's free."

But Lee was already shaking his head, thinking, contemplating. It made Kai's heart sink. "No…" He said, frowning. "No, something's wrong there. Something about that doesn't sound right."

"...what do you mean?" Kai asked slowly.

"I mean, something there doesn't make sense. Why, of all people in the world, does the witch choose Nima? Because she stole something? I mean, yes. Of course, she's probably playing with Nima. It was an opportunity. She's probably like a glorified slave master who enjoys playing with her food before she eats it, but that's the thing. She's still _playing_ with Nima. She hasn't eaten her yet."

"You think that's not all," Kai said rather than asked.

"I'm just saying. I don't know what it is and I don't know why, but- damn, it, it's like those crooked businessmen you might make deals with sometimes. They say one thing and it's technically true, but they really mean another. The witch has other plans for Nima. Yes, maybe I'm wrong. But don't trust the witch because here's the question of the day: Why would she create her own threat like that? Who's to say Nima gets the sword and doesn't use it to cut down the witch? Or for her own gain? She's most likely hoping Nima makes some progress then just dies, _but_ … surely she's planned far enough ahead on the off chance Nima is successful. All I'm saying is there is probably a catch. She may let Nima live, but she probably never promised that she would be free. Nima's a loose end. She probably won't leave it loose."

Kai cursed the air blue. He knew it. He _knew_ it. That was why he hadn't made that deal. Something in his gut- Of course, none of them had asked about that or even really noticed it. They'd just gotten through finding out Nima was even _alive._ They'd gotten tunnel vision about that and hadn't bothered to wonder if Nima's own deal with the witch included freedom.

He looked at Jinora, who seemed to have lost all color. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and pulled her close. The way she buried her head in his shoulder, he knew she was fighting the urge to cry. Gods, he was too.

"Thank you, Lee," Kai said. It was all he could say.

Lee nodded, pursing his lips. He looked at them for a long moment. "I'll put all my ships on lookout."

"Lee, you can't-" Jinora started to say.

"I can and I will," said Lee. There was a steely flash in them. "They don't need to know why. And… and I'll keep it discreet. I'll let the other captains know. They won't question why if I make it clear that it's not up for discussion."

"If you're sure," Kai said carefully. If this would lead him back to his daughter then, APA or not, he would take it. "This is our family-"

"I'm not. I'm not sure, but I also don't care. I took up this job to help people. If I can't at least try to help one sixteen year old girl then I don't even deserve my uniform," Lee said with finality. "To hell with the consequences. Besides, if it's related to Quil of the Blood Moon pirates then I'm sure there won't be quite as big of a fuss. Legalities be damned, between the two of us we have enough resources and connections."

Even after all these years, Kai didn't know what to say to Sono. Sometimes, he didn't like it. Right now, though, he was grateful beyond words. He hadn't totally expected outright action from Sono, not to that degree. Not that it was out of character, exactly. But, in his life experience, Kai had had to learn that, sometimes, people wanted to help just to help. Maybe, even just because they cared.

He extended his hand out to Lee, firmly shaking the hand of the man who wanted to help his daughter just because it was who he was as a man. Kai had long since learned that Lee would help even when it seriously inconvenienced him.

"Thank you," Kai told him quietly. "I mean that. I really do."

"Don't thank me. It's the only viable option," said Lee.

Kai snorted. Once a pragmatist, always a pragmatist, he supposed.

"I'll admit though…" Lee began. Kai raised a brow at him. "I initially thought maybe she'd… run off... not to say anything bad, I just… she was with a _boy_ , after all."

"Oh. Him." Kai fought to urge to let the disgust rise from his throat. He felt Jinora squeeze his hand.

"That's someone we sent to find her. He's good at finding people. He's supposed to bring her back, but… I don't know what happened." Jinora said. "Nothing bad, I'm praying."

Lee frowned slightly. "Perhaps she enlisted his help. I would have, in her situation. She has no friends where she's at."

"I just wish she'd come home." Kai ran a hand through his hair. He'd never felt so old in his entire life. If Yung felt like this every day then good gods, Kai was going to have to make it up too him somehow. Maybe he never would.

There was a pause between them before Lee said, "Captain, would you say that your daughter is like you?"

Kai frowned. Yes. Yes and no. But, unfortunately, yes. She had that… that something. In her. Maybe it was dressed up nicer, but there was something a little wild and rebellious about Nima. Jinora and he had joked in the past that it was because she was born right around the Chushu solar term of the year: The Limit of Heat. That year, still, the summer had not died. In fact, Nima had been born on a bright, beautiful summer day right before Autumn began creeping in. He nodded.

"Well, then," Lee said ruefully. "Why would she come home with hell like that on her heels?"

Not for the first time, Kai wished Nima thought more like her mother than like him.

-:-:-:-

"Jinora knows what she's looking for, I'm sure, but remind us again what _we're_ looking for, again?"

Otaku looked up from his journal. It'd been empty a couple days ago. Now, it was half full with notes and randomly jotted down phrases. Yung had to admit he worried a little bit about him these days. The poor guy had bags under his eyes and seemed to have his nose glued to that journal or _any_ book that might hold information on what Nima was tasked to search for for that matter.

Earlier, Lefty mentioned to him, "It's his way of coping," he said ruefully. "You know he'll fall apart if he doesn't keep his brain busy."

Yung frowned. He just hoped they found something useful here. Then, maybe the man could get at least one night's rest. Not that he'd been getting as much as he used to himself. And getting Kai to take anything to get some _real_ sleep was about as effective as trying to make a cat play in the rain. The kid just wasn't having it. Of course, he couldn't blame Kai or Jinora anymore than he could blame himself.

At night, when he closed his eyes, he saw Nima's body laying on the beach. He remembered how bloody she'd been, her skirts soaked to the point they'd gone from a dark gold color to that terrible drenching red. He'd lived long enough to know that look in her eyes… Quil had killed her as soon as he got his hands on her. Her eyes told him enough. She hadn't seen it coming when he impaled her.

One night, one nightmare had ripped him from his bed. It didn't entirely feel like a nightmare. As if some old enemy had cursed him and sent it to him. He saw her struggling after being stabbed by Quil, clutching her belly and throwing up blood all over the deck. The rage and violent sickness roiling in his belly had sent him climbing out of his bed and finding a bucket in a nearby supply closet. Thankfully, only Lefty had heard him get up. He didn't _dare_ tell anyone else. Especially not Kai.

His granddaughter hadn't deserved to be slaughtered like cattle. Especially not alone with that miserable bastard maggot of a man. He had deigned from going through his trunk that sat at the foot of his bed. Nima had given him a set of books earlier this year that he'd been meaning to pick back up again. They were still in there and now he wasn't sure he could manage it.

Still, if he could get his hands around Quil's neck - or a knife, even better - gods, what he wouldn't do…

The only thing that would stop him would be the notion that Kai - and even Jinora - deserved the right to end Quil's life.

"Well," Otaku began, pulling Yung out of his thoughts. "We need to know what exactly _is_ this thing. Jinora remembers telling the kids stories about the gods and the sword was mentioned, but it wasn't anything she actually really knew much about. There's not a lot of information on it."

"I've never heard of it either," said Lefty, scratching his chin. That was the thing. Lefty was old and had sailed all over the world. Just like Yung. Of course, they hadn't exactly spent their youth in libraries, but between the two of them, not an intelligible word could be said about this supposed treasure.

"That's why the first place we're checking is the library. Besides, that portal showed us that she was in a place with books and old cushioned seating. I'm willing to bet that it's the storage area of some library. I've been in a fair few of them myself…"

"Of course you have, Taku." Lefty clapped him on the shoulder as they came upon an eggshell colored wooden building with a bronze plate on the front that read _Huiyanshan Library_. "Here we are."

They let Otaku in ahead of them. Since this really was his territory they would let him lead them in the direction they needed to go in. In front, a man with ill-fitting glasses and dark hair sat, flipping through a large tome that looked like some kind of record keeping tool. Knowing Otaku, he probably wouldn't have needed the librarian, but the man looked up, squinted at them with distaste and muttered something to himself that probably had to do with pirates.

That wasn't at all unusual and, normally, they might have left the man to his business, but Lefty nudged Yung, "We should ask him."

Yung frowned. "Ask him what?"

"Questions," Lefty shrugged. "Maybe he's seen Nima in here. You never know, maybe she went into the library. Maybe he might know of another library."

Yung likewise shrugged as Otaku wandered off into the rows of books, clearly lost in his own little world. They'd find him late. "Worth a shot, I guess."

They walked up to the desk, Yung not at all surprised that the man looked up and didn't seem pleased they were in front of him. He was used to these looks by now. The man raised his brows as if ready to ask why were a couple of pirates talking to him. "Yes?"

Lefty, as big as he was, hardly ever let that bother him. "Scuse' me. I don't know if you can help, but we're looking for someone," he said. "A girl."

The librarian looked up too sharply for Yung to believe him when he said, "I haven't seen her."

"You haven't even heard what she looks like."

"Haven't seen a girl here in weeks."

Yung and Lefty shared looks. Okay, well, if that wasn't the most obvious lie Yung had seen in a good while. He cleared his throat. "Well, Lefty, we tried. I mean," Yung said loftily, turning as if to walk away. "He doesn't exactly seem like a lady killer."

Lefty snorted. "He's a lady killer alright. They prolly look at him, get scared and die."

Yung could almost _hear_ the librarian look up. "I do just _fine_ with women, thank you very much," snapped the young man. He sputtered. "Hell, j-just last week-"

The man's face fell.

Yung came back to the desk. "Go on," he urged. "You were saying? I mean, clearly, I was in the wrong."

The librarian scowled up at them. "I don't have anything more to say to either of you. Good day," he gritted. "Enjoy the library."

Yung opened his mouth to say something, but it was Lefty who reached down and used one hand to close the librarians' tome right under his nose. "Listen here," he said gruffly, leaning on the desk now with both hands. "You would literally not believe the couple weeks we've had. I am tired, worried sick and have been ready to impale a man for a while now. So, I would _really_ appreciate it if you could tell me if you've seen this girl or not. I have had a _very_ long day and it just started."

Whether it was the persuasion in Lefty's words and face or simply the size of him, Yung didn't know, but he knew they had the librarian beat when the young man began clearing his throat and pulling on his collar. "Well, if you… insist," he said tightly. "I might have seen someone. May I ask _why_ you might be looking for this person?"

Lefty shrugged. "Is it really any of your business."

The librarian glared at him. "I suppose not…" he grumbled. "What does she look like?"

"About this tall," Yung said, holding his hand up to a height not too much shorter than himself. "Brown skin, brown hair, green eyes. Her bangs do this thing where they curl up at her mouth."

"Oh," the young man said almost distastefully. " _Her_."

"What do you mean by _her_?"

The librarian shrugged. "Well, she had the audacity to use the library backroom storage as an inn," he said, opening his tome backup carefully. "She was willing to pay for it. It was a good time."

Yung raised his brows, the blood under his skin ready to boil. He didn't like the way the librarian's shoulders seemed to casually square up at that, the way he seemed to ease into his confidence. " _Pay_ for it?"

"You know how girls like that are," the librarian said loftily. "But yeah. I saw her a little over a week ago? Something like that."

Lefty's hand shot out, yanking the librarian forward by his collar. " _Are you saying that you made my niece have sex with you?_ " he snarled. " _Is that what you're trying to tell me?_ "

Nima, who was probably lost and desperate at the time if she was taking refuge in a library storage room… Yung prayed that she hadn't done anything she hadn't wanedt to. It took all of his effort not to split the guy from his own manhood. "My _granddaughter_ ," Yung said coldly, his hand on the hilt of his sword now. "Has been lost after an… unfortunate accident. We've been looking for her. I _suggest_ that you answer my friend's question."

"N-no! I-"

"So, you were lying?" Yung asked slowly, his voice low.

"I-I, no, see-"

"For the sake of you and your miserable maggot between your legs you had better _hope_ that you were lying there. My grandaughter has been through hell and for me to think that you only added to that…"

"And don't you _dare_ say she wanted it," Lefty growled. Yung nodded. Nima never would have simply given herself up. He knew that. He _knew_ that. What was she feeling though, at the time? Was she even in her right mind? Had this scumbag really coerced her into something she didn't want to do? As far as Yung knew, Nima was a virgin and he was fairly confident in that knowledge. The concept of sex never seemed to interest her _too_ much. Not overly so, at least. The idea that she might have been forced into… she would have been scared out of her mind. "I think we know her far better than you do. So, start tellin' the truth. Or one of us is going to begin carving."

The librarian paled. "I didn't," he whispered. "I-I swear. Please, you have to believe me…"

"So tell the truth and perhaps we'll leave you in one piece," said Yung, shifting the hold of his sword forward.

When the man hesitated, Lefty shook him up a little. "Alright, _alright_ … I found her in the library storage room over a week ago. I told her she couldn't be in there-"

"And you said you wouldn't call the authorities if she'd have sex with you," said Yung. "That right?"

The librarian hesitated, but slowly nodded.

Yung's hand tightened on his sword. "What else happened?"

"Well, I… I kind of, you know… Look, I _had to_ get the authorities involved! She was stealing books from me! And I needed them back!"

"You wanted her to have sex with you and you were still going to turn her in?" Lefty threw the man back into his seat. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you now."

"Lefty-"

"Yung, he deserves it."

" _Akash_." As much as Yung would have loved to do that, they still needed more information. He turned back toward the librarian. "What happened next?"

"She threw a pillow in my face and ran. Didn't see her again after that."

"What books did she steal?" asked Lefty, crossing his arms. "Do you know?"

The librarian began sifting through papers in his desk, finally opening up a bottom drawer and pulling out a sheet of paper. "I went through our inventory and tried to see just that. Here's all the books my inventory _says_ I have, but I don't. I marked the ones I knew for certain we're supposed to be there."

Yung took the paper from the man, scanning over the list. Books about witches, mythology, pirates… sounded like a list of books one might buy if they were on a quest. That was for sure.

"Let's go give this to Otaku," said Yung, nudging Lefty.

"You go ahead," Lefty replied. "I'm going to stay here and keep our new _friend_ company."

Lefty reached out, grabbing the guy's glasses off of his face and snapped them right in half, throwing them down on the desk. The librarian squawked. "Hey! Those are my glasses!"

"Yeah, well you're lucky it isn't your spine," Lefty growled. "Still might be once her father gets a whiff of this. Captain Kai? Yeah, he has a temper alright."

The librarian looked like all the brain had drained from his body. "C-Captain Kai?" he sputtered, his voice suddenly soft, his eyes wide. "As in… Captain of the Waterbender? Pirate Lord of the A-Amaterasu Sea?"

Yung glanced up from his paper really quickly. "Yeah, my kid."

The librarian's voice quivered. "I-I didn't know-"

"Doesn't really matter if you did or not," said Yung as he began to walk away, his eyes transfixed on the list in his hand. "To be honest."

-:-:-:-

"Mermaids? Are you sure we're supposed to be looking for _mermaids_?"

Otaku glanced up from his book at Kai, smiling a little. "I'm positive, Captain." His trousers were rolled up to his knees, ankle deep in water. "Trust me."

Kai had unbuttoned his shirt a little more - basically, all the way - with the sky an open blue, few clouds to block the earth from the sun's presence. The sand beneath his feet was cool, sometimes, the only comforting thing to him these days. "I'm just not exactly sure how we're going to get mermaids to talk to us."

"Mermaids are kind of… sensitive," said Lefty, leaning against a tree next to Kai. He dared not take a seat on the sand with that peg leg of his. "They just know."

"You've met one?"

Lefty nodded, laughing a little. "That I have, kid. I told you that story, didn't you? I was a just a young man. She thought I was cute. Gave me a kiss. It was probably the luckiest year I had."

"Yeah?" Kai's lips lifted into a small, tired grin. "Why's that?"

"Met Yung that year. Went on a grand little adventure before landing on The Waterbender together."

Kai snorted. "Sounds about as lucky as you can get to me."

"I introduced her to Yung too, y'know," Lefty said. "Some years later. She still lived in the same waters from when I first met her. She gave Yung the same treatment. A mermaid's kiss has power in it when she wants it to."

"Really?"

"Yeah, in fact, it was the same year we met you, funny enough."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Nice try."

"No, I'm serious." Lefty was scratching his chin. "Yeah… yeah, it was the same year. Literally months before we met you, actually."

"Not sure how you could consider that luck," said Kai, looking on at the cerulean of the sea. It would be more beautiful to him if Nima were here and safe. "Look at where we're at."

Lefty was silent for a moment before he said, "You know, they say that mermaids can be the deliverer of fates."

"I thought seers told those?" asked Kai, frowning.

"They only tell them. They don't decide them." Lefty found a stump to sit on, sighing at the shift of weight. "Neither do mermaids, mind you. Prophecies are decided by… well, by forces beyond mortal beings. My ma always used to tell me stories. Even sirens are kind of like that. Sirens, though, tend to bring omens rather than blessings. People think that's why humans began hunting them, but my ma always said it was the other way around. Humans began hunting sirens for their hair and their blood, so the sirens began, er, adapting their diets."

Kai raised his brows. "I never knew that."

"History tends to be written by the conquerors, but you know, the truth tends to live out there whether you like it or not. Anyway, I'm getting off track. What I'm trying to say is that mermaids tend to guide people onto the paths that they're meant to be on."

"Please don't start telling me that destiny is predetermined," Kai grimaced. The idea wasn't entirely welcome to him. If fate was just fate and it was decided regardless of what someone did then he wasn't sure if he would have another peaceful day in this life. "Everything up until now has always been my choice… even when they went bad. Especially when they went bad."

The heat was stifling now, the shade from the trees not enough to keep him cool and still.

"That's the thing. Fate is determined by the choices you make, who you are and all that. I've always felt, well, prophecies are just all that put together. They're still your choices. Some people just know what choices you're going to make. That's all. It's kind of like how I know you'll always choose a mango over a papaya. Ain't that scary, kid. Don't worry."

"Then what about Nima?" Kai asked, his throat constricting. "What about her choices? Are you saying this was meant to happen to her?"

Lefty sighed. "I'm saying that life's complicated, kid. Nima's not helpless. She has her own choices. Fate isn't about the _lack_ of choices. Fate literally happens _because_ of your choices. And your choices make who you are. She's out there and she's surviving, obviously. I have faith in her."

"Did I raise her the way I should have though?" Kai asked hoarsely. "Did I tell her enough? Did I prepare her enough? You remember that prophecy she had when she was a little girl? You remember, don't you? We told her not to do it, but she did it of course. The seer told her-"

"Don't." Lefty had gotten up. He bent over to clap a hand on Kai's shoulder. "You're her father. That's not your job to think about that."

"Not my job?" Kai frowned. "My job _is_ to worry about her."

"But she's a _human being_. An individual person of her own. If you try to pick that apart then you're just going to drive yourself crazy. But if you want my honest opinion? I think you should have told her about your past."

Kai grit his teeth. "You think I should have told her about the _hell_ I had to live as a child? You wanted me to tell her that? _Expose_ her to that? Nima shouldn't have to know what hell I had to live through. Neither should the twins."

"Your kids aren't just your kids. They're people. I'm here to tell you the truth, kid. You have to remember that Nima ain't just your kid."

Kai sighed. It was like ten years had just been dropped onto his shoulders. "What are you trying to say to me, Lefty? You're talking in circles, now."

"I'm tryin' to tell you that, yeah, our choices brought us here. But." Lefty straightened out. "Our choices will also get us out of this."

"What if I told you I'm no longer confident in the choices I make?"

Lefty frowned. "Kid-"

"Hey, guys! Look, I've got one!" Otaku called, waving them over.

Kai was on his feet in an instant, striding over to Otaku, damn the soaking of his trousers. He stopped dead when he get near. In the water, lounging with the small basket of fruit that Otaku had brought, was a tan woman with green eyes and dark hair. Her tail was a deep, shimmering brown. She peered up at the three men curiously as if asking them what they need.

Lefty sidled up next to Kai, apparently he wasn't very concerned about his peg leg in the water anymore either. He said something to the mermaid in a language Kai had never heard him speak. The mermaid looked surprised, yet delighted. She spoke with him happily.

"What is she saying?" Kai asked Otaku quietly.

"She's saying that she's seen Nima," Otaku said, shooting Kai a grin. "Well, she doesn't know her name, but the descriptions spot on."

"I want to ask her something," Kai said.

The mermaid looked at him from her conversation with Lefty. "I do speak your language," she said, her voice like silk. "It is just rare to find humans who speak ours. What do you want to know?"

"You said you've seen Nima," he said. "That's her name. She's my daughter. The girl with green eyes and brown hair? She looks like me. She was here?"

The mermaid nodded. "She was here. She brought a basket like this. A bigger one. We did not want to help her."

Kai gulped. "Help her with what?"

"Your daughter seeks the sword. The Charter of Stars, she sought from us. It is a perilous journey. But when we told her this she still gave us such delicious treats. Humans have a tendency to treat those unlike themselves with disdain or exoticity, unless it is for gain. Or so we have learned. But she is a kind soul. Such kindness we could not leave unrewarded. The stars are with her."

"Do you know how we can find her? Please. She's my daughter…" Kai said, that old weight again resting on him. "I just want to find her."

The mermaid looked up at him, as if searching his eyes. Kai did the same, desperate for any clue that might lead him to Nima. Even close to her.

Finally, the mermaid said, "I have already told you."

"What? But you haven't said anything!"

The mermaid shook her head, netting up the basket. "It is not my place. But I have already told you. Seek your answers in what is before you always."

"But-"

"Thank you,' said Otaku, he gave her a small bow. She smiled at him. "Thank you so much. You've been too kind."

Kai wanted to protest, but clenched his jaw instead. How could that be it? She didn't tell them anything. If they could just _say_ where Nima might have gone. His patience was far beyond dealing with crypticness. With a final look, the mermaid left with her treats, making her way back to the deeper sea.

Kai frowned. "She didn't tell us _anything,_ Otaku."

"She told us plenty." Otaku walked over to the bag he'd set on shore. "The Charter of Stars. She said the stars are with Nima. It's obvious."

"The stars. Okay," Kai said slowly. "So, we need a map?"

Lefty put a hand on Kai's shoulder. Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. Get his head on straight.

"The constellations," Kai said when it finally came to him. Of course. He and Otaku used them every day to chart their courses. Gods, he needed to calm down. "But which ones?"

"I don't exactly know for sure. But it's a start," Otaku said, more to himself than anyone as he started jotting things down furiously in a journal.

"See, kid?" Lefty shook up Kai a bit with a big hand. "We have a start."

"Just give me a little time," Otaku said absentmindedly. "I'll have a list of places these sword pieces might be at by tomorrow."

Kai let his shoulders slump. "Thanks," he said, then looked up at Lefty. "To both of you."

"Anytime, kid."

* * *

I really liked this chapter actually! It Was fun to write and fun to reread. Yung, personally, was a favorite of mine here. But this entire chapter was really fun to write actually. From Lee to Yung to Lefty. Hope you enjoyed it too!

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me writing and keep me motivated to write! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	24. Gem Fortress Isle

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Gem Fortress Isle  
****

* * *

 _The Sozin's_ biggest enemy, Dan decided, was itself and it's own clockwork routines. Designed to keep the process of commuting guards to and from Gem Fortress Isle safe and smooth, it was no trouble at all to blend into their everyday habits. No one questioned his presence, despite clearly being of the Water Tribe. There were other guards of other ethnicities as well to his surprise.

The ship was a sprawling mass of the finest, most polished wood with the reddest sails and the blackest emblems and the goldest threads. On deck, somebody was always shining and swabbing, keeping the sun glinting on the wood at all times and free of any mildew or grime. There were rooms for bedding everywhere, an armory on every level, two galleys and two mess halls. An imperial ship at it's absolute peak.

On for only a few days at a time for weeks, the same men did the same things and the rest found something to do with themselves. Their routines were age old. A formality, no longer truly functioning as real security. How long had it been since most of these men had seen real combat?

Dan asked as such.

"Nobody in their right mind would come attack an imperial vessel of the Fire Nation so close to it's home," laughed one of the veteran guards - Kadesh he mentioned his name was. He was tan, black-haired and golden-eyed. "Only Shu Ting of the Dragon's Crown is ever so bold. Even then, she won't stay in these waters too long."

She probably had bigger fish to fry, Dan figured.

Good. Then, _The Sea Viper_ would probably be fairly undetected. Of course, ships sailed in and out of the seas of the Fire Nation year round, especially since Hidama was its most inward coastal city.

Before he left, Nima told him to be careful, but it didn't seem like there was much danger to be _had_. Nobody checked his credentials. Nobody seemed to care that there was a new face. She was worrying for nothing.

Besides, he wished she would stop. He didn't fancy the way she looked at him with those pooling green eyes. It almost - _almost_ \- made him squirm how the uplift of the corner of her eyes and lips softened when she seemed lost for words.

She didn't have to say anything. He was used to silence.

When he lived with his sister, things were often silent. Not because she ignored him, but because when her husband had some diplomatic mission back home north in the North Pole, she went with him. Considering how he was sent away in the first place, he never had any inclination to return home to Nerrivik.

He would rather be left to himself. And left to himself was how he preferred it.

He didn't need a girl like her bothering him. Especially since she had made it very clear that she didn't totally appreciate his presence either.

He didn't care.

It was only a job as far as he was concerned.

-:-:-:-

Gem Fortress Isle did it's name justice. Massive black stone towers erected out of the cliffsides, the waves crashing against the foot of the jagged rocks. Large torches inside square rooms lit the head of all the towers and smoke billowed in the salt sea breeze. There was a brined smell in the air as they sailed closer, like a bonfire burning salt stones.

It reminded Nima of the time her Uncle Nukko had caught a massive fish one summer and the smell from cooking it filled the ship for days. But these were no cooking fires. Each tower lined the edge of a wall half it's size and from there it was pretty much impossible to climb between the sheer black stone and marble walls to the sharp merciless rocks that beheld centuries old fortitude.

"Captain," Ranaka began, crossing her arms over her chest as she observed the island wide fortress. "How are are going to keep them from seeing us?"

Captain Koika put a large hand on her shoulder. Despite his alertness, there seemed to be shallow bags under his eyes. "Don't worry. We're going to keep close to _The Sozin_ until we near enough to hide beneath those rocks. Their ship is much bigger than ours so we can manage a little hide and seek. We're going to have to use the rowboats to get any closer than that."

"Dan's going to meet us," said Nima, reassuring them. "That's what he said."

"How?" Foba too was examining the fortress, his face crestfallen.

"He'll find a way," said Nima. "Tehan, didn't your friend mention rowboats?"

Standing next to Captain Koika, Tehan nodded. "He says things are kind of relaxed there. Nothing happens and so no one really notices much. There should be some rowboats somewhere around there. Dan's a smart kid. I'm sure he'll find them alright." He flashed a smile at her. Nima blinked before belatedly returning it.

Hyun nudged Tehan. "How come this friend o' yours is helping us so much?"

"He hates his boss and, well, the entire job, really," replied Tehan, shrugging. "He's always been a little rule breaker, that one. One reason we get on so well."

"What time should we go meet him?" asked Nima, leaning on the gunwale. "So, we make it quick."

"Relax, lass," Koika told her. "We'll set up after they port and go in once night falls."

Hyun sent Nima a lazy grin. "Dan's a big, sturdy fella, but I see _you're_ awfully worried."

"Of course I'm worried!" Nima moaned. "He's in there by himself!"

And they didn't even _really_ know what they were looking for. Hell, they didn't even know if it existed. All of this was just a _hunch_. The guilt seeped a little further into Nima's belly.

All this uncertainty and Dan still went along with it. Unlike the _The Sea Viper_ crew, he wasn't in it for any possible loot. He just did it… well, he just did it because she asked.

Nima sighed through her nose. "I'm usually _involved_ in the raids," she said, wincing. "At least, now I am. My dad finally figured I was old enough as long as everyone else was involved."

"A kid should learn how to fight," Hyun agreed. "You're dad's smart not to shield ye. World can be a cruel place."

Nima didn't answer him. Less so because she had nothing to say and more because her throat tightened up at her father's mention. No, he hadn't shielded her from fighting. Just from himself.

"Can they really not see us?" Saika asked, frowning. "It just seems a little unbelievable that they would leave so much treasure so loosely guarded. I guard single gold coins with my life."

"Remember, ships pass by this island constantly. They're not going to immediately raise the alarm just because a ship is skirting the island," said Koika, rubbing his eyes. "That's why we're going to anchor in their blindspot."

"That still sounds like terrible security," Saika replied.

"I'm not going to question whatever gets us shot less." Ranaka hooked her arm in his. He smiled at her a little. "Would you?"

His smile widened, a twinkle in his eye. "Your optimism is showing."

"Always is, darling" she cooed. "Not getting shot is a favorite pastime of mine."

Nima almost smiled at them. She turned back to _The Sozin_.

She hoped Dan would pick up on that pastime too.

-:-:-:-

Night fell.

Saika and Captain Koika followed her on the boat, leaving the first mate in charge should anything go wrong. Hyun only saluted his captain before they left. Nima was a bucket of nerves and she kept glancing at the corner of the rocks in front of her. Dan had to be coming. He had to be.

What if he'd been found out? What if somebody questioned him and realized he wasn't who he said he was? She dared not open her mouth with those worries though, even Koika keeping silent as he rowed the boat a little farther forward.

She heard the quiet splash before she saw it. Around the corner of the jagged cliffside, Dan rowed in a small, dark wooden boat, still in that uniform that she almost told him was a _little_ bit too tight for him. It wasn't like they exactly had a choice, but the fabric at the shoulders was as bit snug. Even from here she could see them grappling at the brawny muscles of his arms as he rowed toward them.

"You're okay," she breathed when he was finally close enough.

He glanced up at her, his stare lingering. "...yeah," he said. "Hurry up. Get in the boat. Who's all coming?"

"I am," Koika said, climbing into the boat. He extended his hand out to Nima. "I'm not letting you kids go in by yourselves. At least, I can be a little bit of extra muscle. Ranaka will take the boat back."

Ranaka raised her chin. "Aye, captain."

Nima took his hand, flashing a grateful smile. "Will we be able to get in though?" she asked Dan. "With all three of us?"

Dan nodded. "We won't even be seen."

He rowed them toward a small hidden shore directly under one the watchtowers, the angle so perpendicular and obscured by cliff rocks that there was no way someone could simply look over the edge and see them. There was an opening big enough for one person to fit through, Koika and Dan having to bend over, but otherwise he fit enough.

"What is this place?" Nima asked.

Ahead of her, Dan replied, "One of the older guards told me about this opening. It's not taught officially, but all guards know about it apparently. It's like a hidden escape route in case someone needs to get away. To send or receive important or secret messages that is."

"This place was built in a time of war," added Koika. He walked behind her with a surprisingly light footfall. "Before it was a fortress for the Fire Nation's greatest treasures, it was a source of other things. War spoils, prisoners… then over time it became a symbol of their wealth and power. Some harvested right at home with no problem." His face went dark. "Others stolen from lands not their own. You might find quite a few Air Nomad relics in here."

Nima's heart dropped. She was born and raised a pirate, but her mother and grandparents made sure she also knew about her Air Nomad heritage. That was no less a part of her than her pirate heritage either. "I'm Air Nomad," Nima said quietly.

That wasn't _right_.

They shouldn't have kept those relics. Those… there was something particularly nasty about stealing someone else's _culture_ from them.

"Honestly, lass, most of the people these days probably don't even know they're here. I doubt even Fire Lord Izumi knows. It's been so long and these things have been buried for ages. Longer than your lifetime five fold."

For such intimate things to be stolen from their homes so viciously, the blood of their owners and creators and rightful curators having been wiped clean from them probably only to be placed in a glorified trinket jar...

She knew her peoples' history and how Fire Lord Sozin had begun the ravaging of the Air Temples. Equally so, the Air Nomads themselves, slaughtered around the world over time until their population dwindled. Her great grandfather, Aang Gyatso, had been the one to surprise every nation and finally defeat Sozin's grandson, Fire Lord Ozai, and end The Great War.

"This used to be named The Isle of Sozin, during his reign that is. It wasn't exactly official. More of a nickname," Koika said, ducking further as the tunnel became smaller. He grunted. No doubt his back didn't exactly like that.

"Modest man," Nima commented in a small voice.

"Great men have a tendency to be terrible men."

She immediately thought of Captain Quil and her bones felt a little bit heavier like they always did when he came to mind. Heavy and leaden like a sitting turtleduck when he took that sword _and_ -

"We're here," Dan said, mercifully bringing her back from her own head. The world slipped back into place and she remembered that the flat of her feet were on the ground, not her back against red soaked wood.

On the other side of her, Dan put his hand against a solid rock wall and said a word she didn't quite understand under his breath. The rock slid open for him and he climbed through, extending his hand out to her when she came close enough. Torches lit the hall they climbed into, heavy darkness hanging in the air, ready to descend upon them should the torches. She noticed there were was only one barred window. Not one large enough for a human to come through, but the moonlight reached through, lighting the night that laid underneath it. Their footsteps threatened to echo, but Dan put his fingers to his lips and pointed at their shoes.

She and Koika nodded. Walk slowly. Walk quietly. Got it.

They took a right, not even stopping when they came across a stairway at the end of a second hall. She looked back, sharing a small frown with Captain Koika. Where were all the guards?

"This was my area for the night," Dan said quietly when they climbed the stairs. "Which was why they showed me the door. Nobody comes down here."

"Where are we going?" Nima asked, keeping her voice just as low.

"To the main vault."

"Nobody comes down here and the main vault is in this area?" Koika asked. Nima shared another glance with him. Exactly her thoughts. "That doesn't smell right."

"They said security prioritizes over the personal treasures of the Fire Lords rather than the main vault, which is filled with lesser important treasures. There are other guards around, but they still keep to their end of things."

"And this happened to be your wing?"

"Yes," Dan said, come face to face with a large black door. There were no handles, hinges as far as she could see, but there was cracks where the opening was. Nima reached out to feel it, but Dan grabbed her hand before she could. "This is why we get in, get what we need and get out. No unnecessary exploring. These people are laid back at best, but they're eventually going to come relieve me for a midnight shift change."

Nima frowned, pulling her hand away. "How are we going to get in?"

"Everything here is guarded by wards and passwords written into spells. Only the higher ups know the passwords. The warden left his office open and I snuck in. He had he passwords in a drawer." He put his hand on the door, just like he did with their entrance, and spoke a word she didn't know. It was certainly not in the common tongue.

"Old language of the Fire Nation. They still use it for record keeping in certain places, but it's largely not spoken in their modern tongue," Koika explained, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's smart. This is why they're not worried about anybody getting in."

Still. Something tickled at her spine. Something her Grandpa Yung always said to listen to.

 _Sorry Grandpa,_ she thought. _I don't have much of a choice this time._

The truth, actually. She didn't even know if this was even the right decision. Would Roku's stone even be in here? She didn't… she didn't _know_. Was this what her life had come to? Risking the lives of other people over hunches and half thoughts? If they were caught…

She didn't want to think about what would happen if they were caught.

But that tick down her spine also kept saying something else:

 _Keep going_.

Well, this was all she had. This small hunch was all she had to go on, but… that _something_ was gnawing at her. And every time she thought about Roku's Flare it just started gnawing a little harder. Her Uncle Lefty would have called that guts if he ever heard her talk about it.

If she ever got to talk to him about it.

Despite their size, the doors slid open smoothly and in relative silence. On the other side there was a barren space and another set of doors. Following Dan's lead, they stepped into the space and the doors slid closed behind them. When they did, the second set of doors slid open, no need for Dan to intervene this time. The doors receded and-

Piles.

Nima's mouth dropped open. Even Koika couldn't keep himself from whistling a little.

Piles and piles of gleaming stones, gems and other such precious items. The vault's impossibly high ceiling made way for small mountains of rubies, emeralds, crystals, diamonds, fire stones, golden gems and an endless rainbow of strange and exotic treasures of the earth. Even Dan was looking on with a faint sense of awe.

Nima had never _seen_ anything like it. She probably had been in towns worth less money than this vault on it's own. As a child, her grandfather would take her along when he had little business ventures to do. Errands to run. Sometimes, he would bring her to the Bank of Republic CIty where he had important things to discuss with the family banker. She used to think that place had to be the richest place in the world.

How small… how small it was compared to the wealth of this place. Gems gleamed and shone, lighting the walls in their kaleidoscope of colors, the shadows of herself, Dan and Koika lost in their inherent beauty of color and reflection.

"This…" She tried to begin. She wet her lips and closed her mouth. "I've never _seen_ anything like _this_ …"

"Just a few of these will keep _The Sea Viper_ and everyone on it set for life," said Koika, picking up a sapphire and examining it.

He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts when Dan said, "It's going to be nothing short of impossible finding Roku's comet stone. We don't have time to get distracted. We should split up and take a look. Then meet back here."

Nima glanced at Koika who was still looking at that same sapphire a few feet away. "Are you sure?" she asked, keeping her voice low enough so only he could hear her.

"We don't have a choice. We need to find this thing and get out before somebody realizes that I'm no longer at my post." Dan looked up at Koika. "Are _you_ going to be alright?"

Koika looked up, blinking, before he realized that Dan was talking to him. "Of course," he said, as if his mind had been deep elsewhere. He stroked his grey beard and narrowed his eyes at his surroundings."Of course I will. You kids give a shout if anything."

Dan nodded at him, then he nodded at Nima.

Well… alright. She didn't like it, but Dan had a point.

The place was already so _big_ as it was, but… it was here. It had to be. She could _feel_ it deep in her gut that the thing was here. Waiting. Waiting.

She watched Dan find a path between the mounds and disappear around the corner wordlessly. "Will you be alright?" she asked Captain Koika.

He smiled wryly at her. "Don't you worry about me, lass. Like I said. If anything happens, just give a shout and we'll come running."

Nima nodded and turned away, rounding the corner of a pile particularly bespeckled with rubies. She felt a shudder at the red light it bathed her in, her muscles stiffening.

"I'm not there," she told herself.

She wasn't there. Quil wasn't there. She was nowhere near him.

Her fingers grazed the coldness of the gems, felt them trickle at her feet. Gold coins also littered the floor, clinking with her every step. She let her gaze wander, looking, _searching_ for a… a _sign_ that would tell her she'd found the comet stone. She needed that stone. If that stone wasn't here and her gut was wrong then…

She shook her head. It was here. It _had_ to be here. For what felt like too long she roamed the corridors of the vault. Round and round she roamed, the mountains of gems blurring together. Was it endless?

Her mind began to feel… tired.

How long had she been searching? She was ready to call out for Dan. This wasn't working and they were going to get _lost_. It felt like she'd searched for too long, too deep. Again, she asked herself how _long_ she'd been searching.

Indeed, how long? Why did she not really have a sort of estimate? It was like this place with all it's jewels and all it's treasures were imprisoners of her senses.

It smelled like nothing in here, too. Not like iron or ore or the sharpness of metal. The ceiling was just so high she couldn't make out where it ended and the darkness that shrouded it above seemed alive somehow. Like it was ready to swallow her whole.

She sighed deeply through her nose, finding a way between two more closely laid mountains.

And there was a road.

Nima froze, feeling more like an animal caught than ever before.

There was a road. And a town around that road. There were people hustling and bustling by, carriages rolling along. Under her feet, she tapped the cobblestone. Every smooth bump was there. _Real_. None of the people paid her any mind, but…

She knew this street.

And the _smell_. It wafted across her nose and almost made her knees weak. A bakery. Not just any bakery. Nima watched as Mr. Lao from Lao's Pastries was filling the basket at his shop window with fresh loaves of bread and what she knew to be cherry filled buns. She… she hadn't had one of those in _months_.

Because they hadn't sailed to Republic City for a little while. Her father had wanted to make a round to other ports before they went back to visit her grandparents. They'd only been on their third or fourth port when she was separated from them.

The smell of the bread flooded her senses, inviting her despite the stress behind her mind's eye. How had she teleported back to _this_ place?

Her mouth watered as she edged toward it, the scent damn near overwhelming her like it always did. She usually could feel one of her uncles at her side, chuckling at her growing excitement of yet more food.

But she was alone right now. She felt more alone with all these people around than she had a moment ago.

Where was Dan? And Captain Koika? Had they come to this place too?

They should try the pastries if they di-

Then she saw herself. Not a reflection, not like a mirror. She watched as a smaller girl left Mr. Lao's shop. She was shorter than herself now, in a brown and beige dress Nima hadn't worn in years.

Twelve. Nima's heart dropped into her stomach. She could remember for a fact that this was a twelve year old her. Twelve had been a…. Gods, it'd been a bad year. Such a bad year.

Looking on at this girl with her green eyes and brown hair, happily carrying her sack of food. She remembered the day, the hour.

She knew twelve year old her would leave Mr. Lao's shop like she did and Nima walked after her, the younger girl dancing along the street as she went next door to climb the rooftop and eat her goodies in peace so her mother wouldn't tell her to put them away till after dinner.

Up on that rooftop, her ship was visible at the harbor. Her father had told her not to go without someone and she, well, _had_ but… Uncle Skoochy was easy to convince as long as she didn't wander too far from the cigar shop he was browsing at the moment up the street.

Nima wasn't sure if she was breathing or not. She was in her own body and with her twelve year old self all at once. The little girl pulled the scene along with her, as if she was forcing her present self to follow.

But Nima knew what happened. She didn't want to see it.

Her own feet seemed to refuse her plea.

The scene shifted and she was on the roof with her child self now, done with the food she'd purchased. Nima knew there was going to be commotion below from the dim alleyway. She didn't have to watch herself peek over at the edge of the roof. She didn't have to watch herself see the young woman with long brown hair in a messy up do get carted off by two men who were clearly up to no good as they dragged her down the dim alleyway.

Her child self glanced at _The Waterbender_ beyond the rooftops. Then, back down at the woman being dragged away.

Nima tried to reach out as her younger self climbed down and the roof and followed them.

"Go back," she strained a whisper, a lump forming in her throat. "Go _back_. Go get _help_."

When Nima tried to follow her, ready to leap off the roof the height be _damned-_

The scene shifted again and now it was the middle of the night, moon high and swords clashing all around. A wooden deck was under her now, and there across the way, through the bloodshed-

Her Uncle Momo was holding his own against a man, their swords clashing against each other desperately before her Uncle did the smart thing and kicked the man between the legs. He raced across the deck to a small girl-

Gods, _no_.

"No, just _leave_ her!" Nima's voice broke over the chaos around her. He couldn't hear her, only the screaming girl with green eyes that he rushed over to defend. Still, Nima shouted. "You're going to get hurt! Just _leave_ her! _Leave me, please,_ _Uncle Mo-_ "

The man her Uncle Momo had kicked between the legs had come to join his crewmates. There was a terrible flash of red and Nima screamed, running over and freezing at the site of her Uncle Momo holding his throat, jade green eyes flicking back and forth in panic and deep red oozing from behind his fingers. It was getting under her feet - Qilaq and Kinguyakki help her, save him, she could feel his life soaking her feet - it was leaking back under his head and _oh gods, he should have just left her. He should have left her he should have left her-_

Her eight year old self was screaming in full force now, diving for her uncle on the ground, but Uncle Sudhir was hauling her away as her father and Uncle Appa killed the men who surrounded had hurt her Uncle Momo-

And then the scene shifted again. She couldn't hear the words, but her father was beyond furious. To this day, she couldn't remember a time he was _that_ angry with her. She couldn't make out the words as he yelled at her eight year old self, not as her own sobbing threatened to tear apart her chest at this very moment.

She shook her head again and again. " _I'm sorry, I'm sorry_ ," she sobbed over and over again, her tears falling and rolling under her chin. " _I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry-"_

She just wanted it to stop. She wanted to stop hearing her father yell and she wanted to get out of this dream, memory, _whatever_ it was. The weight was a drug, dragging her under deeper and deeper and the despair hit her, cleaving itself in her chest like an axe.

The scene began shifting again and her heart missed a beat.

"No, please, no more," she begged to whatever was doing this to her. "Please, no more. _Please-_ "

Her pleas went unanswered.

* * *

Well, things are moving along more now and the stakes are higher once more. We're just beginning the fun though!

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	25. The Vault and the Vatqinokuro

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **The Vault and the Vatqinokuro  
****

* * *

She was alongside a cobblestone road, in the shadow of an alleyway.

There she was again, in the past as a twelve year old girl, but this time there was a wall at her back and a group of people in front of her. Swords were at their belts and daggers in their hands, ropes and chains at the ready. Between herself and the group of poachers was a girl with light brown skin, even lighter than Nima's, her jet black hair long and held up in a high ponytail. The elegant curtain of her bangs betrayed the cold, murderous look Nima knew was on her face.

She was strong, too. Tikaani was always strong. Strong and muscled and the peak of physical fitness. Just like her mother, Captain Korra. That being, former Captain Korra as it was in present day. But at this stage in life that Nima was watching, Auntie Korra was still captain of _The Avatar_ and Tikaani was still just a girl Nima loved with all her the sister who would sacrifice through hell and high water.

"Captain Korra's kid, are you?" said the most forward man, clearly the leader. "Sounds promising."

"You take me," said Tikaani, the alto in her voice clear as day and as serious as a storm. "And you let her go."

The leader chuckled, scratching the stubble on his face. "And if I just take both of you?"

"Then we make a bloody mess." Tikaani looked him dead in the eye, intense amber eyes boring into his. "And you can try to stop me from making sure yours is the first on the ground. If you feel like that risk is worth it then so be it. Your throat is mine."

Even now, a chill went down Nima's spine. The threat, so deadly serious, would haunt her for weeks afterwards. Tikaani would have killed all those men just for her. Just like her father had killed Quil's men when Quil had her cornered in an alleyway earlier that same year. She was tired of people killing for her. Spilling blood to get her out of a mess she usually got herself into.

The leader considered it apparently, shifting on his feet. There was something in Tikaani's demeanor that always told other people that she was not joking. Nowhere in her statement was there not an iota of idleness. It was always rather obvious, be it by her eyes or her body, but it was somehow… _intuitively_ obvious that the threat was as real as air and fully reinforced.

"Let her go," Tikaani repeated. "And I go with you. Captain Korra is my mother. I'm a higher price than she is. This one is just the poor bastard daughter of some nameless pirate."

Her younger self whined nervously. "Tikaani…"

Nima in the present watched with a resounding, dawning horror.

 _Don't._

The leader scratched his chin. Finally, he said, "Alright, kid. We got a deal. Captain don't need anymore nobodies on the ship anyway." He looked to Nima. "Go on. Get goin' before I change my mind."

Nima grabbed Tikaani's hand. "I can't leave you!" she whispered furiously.

Tikaani barely turned her head to look back. "Go."

"But-"

" _Go._ "

Nima remembered at that moment Tikaani had squeezed her hand back before she let go and was accosted with ropes and chains right away. For once, listening, she remembered running as fast as her legs could carry her. Back home where her family could help. She could stop this.

Tikaani wouldn't end up like-

Yanking her back to reality, there was a yelp that didn't belong in this memory. She blinked a couple times as the world came back and she was once again standing in a room piled high with treasure. She was panting and cold and her nails hurt from clenching them in her arms as she hugged herself-

Dan.

Was that his voice she heard?

She looked up, at the ceiling so far away. Almost non-existent…

A lump formed in throat and curled in on herself for a self hug, her body was caving in on itself. What _was_ this place? And what had it just made her watch? In all her life, she had never felt anything like that. Such a… rapid and brutal flash of some of her most dormant, vicious memories. Not all of them, but the ones that made her ache the most…

Was Dan going through what she had just been through?

She thought of his face. His grey eyes and ash black hair hair and that stony face. She couldn't get sucked into another one of _those_ again, but if she kept her thoughts on his face then maybe she could navigate around and find him.

"Dan?" she called. "Dan? Captain Koika?

-:-:-:-

He didn't like the way this place smelled. He didn't like the way it felt. Damn it, it was all he could do to keep himself thinking straight. And what he'd seen back there…

Nevermind that. He shut it from his mind as thoroughly as possible. Locked it away and threw away the key.

Good.

"Dan?"

Nima?

Dan's head snapped in the direction of her voice. He curved around a small mountain of treasure and, hearing the scuffle of coins on the ground, caught her as she rounded the corner right into him. She looked up at him, her eyes were red rimmed and her mouth fell open.

He frowned. "What happened?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing?" she said, her shoulders hunched between his hands. "Was that you?"

He let her go. "Me doing what?"

"That sound. The yelling? Like you fell…" When he only shook his head, she went still. "We need to find Captain Koika."

"Stay close then," Dan said, not even bothering to agree with her. This place was keeping him right on a sharp edge that he, frankly, didn't like. "I don't know what this place is, but it's not normal."

For once, Nima said nothing. He only felt her brush against his wrist and her heat at his side. They walked slowly, both of them obviously feeling the nerves of… whatever it was that lurked in here, intoxicating their minds with terrible things. It was at that moment he realized that the place seemed too vast for itself and the ceiling seemingly having no end might have very well been in a state of just that. Endless. If it so dared to be.

"We need to find Captain Koika and go," Dan decided.

Nima started shaking her head. "But the stone-"

"We are going to _die_ in here if we stay," he said. "Call it a hunch, but you can't tell me that you don't notice something wrong with this place. It's time to go-"

" _Nima_..."

Dan couldn't have pulled his knife out any faster if he tried. That voice caressed the back of his neck like an unwanted touch. Melting out from between a particularly condensed area of gold, a young woman stood, hands clasped before her, her brown locks in a loose, messy bun that fell around her face and a gold coin necklace around her long, elegant neck..

It was the way she smiled that set him completely on that shape edge. There was a void to it. Blank brown eyes and perfectly curved lips and a lack of color not of this world. He knew that if someone stared too long they would never leave her gaze. Perhaps even waste away right where they stood. But that gaze was not for him.

She reached out her sickly white hand. " _Nima…_ " Dan nearly shuddered at the way her voice scraped at him. " _I haven't seen you in so long. You've grown._ "

"Nah Ja?" Nima's voice was weak, almost cracking through what little verbatim she gave. "You're okay…? H-How...?"

" _I've been waiting for you, of course. Come here. Give me a big hug…_ " The woman opened her arms up slowly for Nima, but never moved. She didn't even seem to notice Dan at all. Glancing at Nima, Dan saw how her eyes locked on the woman. How misty eyed she became and how weak her breath followed. When she stepped forward, Dan did not hesitate to bring an arm around and pushed Nima behind him.

That woman's unnatural voice rang again. " _Nima…_ "

Nima pushed at Dan. He didn't move. He didn't so much as budge.

Nima pushed again. "Dan, get out of my way!" she snapped.

He turned around and beared down at her. "Look. At. Me." He ordered. She tried to step around him and he got closer to her, her nose inches from his and growled, " _Look at me._ "

Unable to quite step around him, she stared.

And the desperation left. And so did the sadness. Only their residue left behind in those eyes.

She blinked as that blankness faded. He looked away when he saw her fighting tears. "...is she gone?" she asked in a small voice.

He looked behind him. A mistake on his part, really. He never should have turned his back on that… _thing_. "Yeah," he said after checking.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice breaking again. He stiffened. "I'm sorry… about everything. About what I said to you."

Still not looking at her, Dan started to say, "Look-"

She hiccuped. He froze. "You're not nothing to me," she said. "I know you don't really like me, but- it doesn't… it's not so lonely with you around."

When Dan finally looked at her, he didn't know what to make of the girl trying to decide between looking down at the ground or peering up at him with tearful eyes. He wanted to walk away, turn away, leap as far away from her as possible. It was suffocating him. This amount of… sensitivity.

And then he saw the outcast in her eyes.

He turned to her and sighed again through his nose.

"What I said earlier. I made you feel like stupid." he said, observing her. She looked up at him with those eyes. He almost stopped, but forced himself to go on. "That wasn't my intention."

She sniffed, then tried to smile. "It's okay…" She began wiping her tears away with her fingers. "Sorry about the crying."

Dan turned away again, taking a glance at their surroundings. "Don't apologize anymore," he said. "Let's go."

They moved on, encountering different types of treasures as they did. The more they looked, the more obvious it became that littered among all the gold and the glitter jewels also were wooden medallions and treasures carved from blue stones or lined with beads and gold or green objects that resembled hair ornaments and other such accessories. Nima picked up a green hair ornament and almost dropped it when she realized it was crusted with blood on one end.

"Somebody died for this to be here…" Nima said weakly. Gently, she put it back in the pile where she found it.

Dan was well acquainted with the Fire Nation's history of violence during the war. His people had not forgotten. Their wall had kept invaders out, but that hadn't saved their sister tribe from near total annihilation at the time. Despite a strained relationship between the Northern and Southern wall, the Water Tribe had never forgotten that on top of the Air Nomad genocide. Of course, modern relationships were much better after Fire Lord Ozai was defeated and ousted.

But still.

He had to agree with the horror that probably ran through Nima's mind as they continued and her stare lingered. People died for all of this to be here. Dan wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Not only did he not want to be caught or encounter anymore… phantoms, but he didn't like walking along on the ghosts of human history.

This entire place made his skin crawl.

Nima stopped beside him and crouched down to pick up a wooden medallion that had rolled onto the floor.

-:-:-:-

 _The world needs you. The spirits, the gods… all of them foretold you. You have a destiny. One beyond us._

 _Please… don't do this… please!_

 _I love you, Aang._

"What is it?"

Nima blinked slowly and looked up from where she was crouching. It took her a minute before she realized that Dan was staring right down at her. She finally stood up. Dan raised his brows.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. She still had the wooden medallion in her hand. It was old, the wooden beads a little worn with age, but well made. Three swirls were carved in: the symbol of the Air Nomads. "I just… I've seen this before."

"The necklace."

"No, the symbol on it." She turned it around. "My grandfather has all kinds of Air Nomad things. And he's pretty well known for preserving Air Nomad cultural items. This was a monk's medallion. That's what this is."

"Well… put it down," he said, eyeing it warily. He reached out for it as if to push it down and away from them.

She held it closer to her. "No! I… I want to keep it."

"You want to _keep_ it?" he asked. It was the most incredulous she'd ever heard him sound. "Did you not just see what almost probably tried to kill you? In this vault? And you want to actually take something out of it? The only thing we should be here for is that comet stone and at this point I'm ready to leave without that."

"You don't understand. I-I can't explain it." She looked down at it the medallion in her hands. It almost seemed to stare back. "I just feel like I'm supposed to have it. It's not mine. It's just… supposed to be with me now that I've found it."

Dan just stared at her. Okay, maybe it sounded like madness, but he didn't know how this _felt_ in her hands. It called to her. This was living history right here in her hands. Hands that had been brought into this world, in great part, by someone who owned this. It didn't belong in a vault so far from home. And… she couldn't explain it. She couldn't. But something about _this_ one made her feel like it was meant to be with her for now.

"My grandfather will love it," she said finally. "He would really want it."

Dan rubbed his forehead, then his eyes. She was ready for him to turn around and walk away from her, but he only turned his attention back to her, tired. "Fine," he said. "But if it starts causing trouble then see if I won't toss it in the ocean."

She nodded, slipping it over her head. "It would still be better off there then sitting in here."

They moved on. The air in the vault felt more and more wrong the longer they stayed. The farther they walked, the colder the chill running along Nima's spine went. She shuddered. "I think we're going the right way..."

He only put a finger to his lips. She took it that he agreed with her - and sensed the danger. Being a pirate all her life had given her a single gods given sense of an intuition that flared up when real, honest danger was creeping around the corner. A very clear sign to stay light on her feet and be ready to move at a moment's notice.

In reality, that sense had probably heightened since she met Captain Quil. Nothing could ever shake the feeling of helplessness that encounter of when she had first met him. Even if she often preferred to look at life with less of a paranoid lense on, she still would never forget that feeling of just… _real_ danger. Not quick, panicking danger. Slow, dawning and slowly creeping apprehension that evolved into the realization that something was bearing down face to face and ready to sink it's teeth right in. That's exactly what Captain Quil had been prepared to do had it not been for her family.

For the first time in her life he had truly shown her that monsters roamed the earth.

Dan stopped in front of her.

\- and she felt cold as ice when they saw it too. It was large and spindly, white and black and no color at all. A translucent _thing_ with a mouth that wasn't a mouth at all, but she could see gleaming eyes in it's not form on what seemed to resemble a human face.

Captain Koika was in its spindly, wrong arms.

Nima's eyes widened. "Captain Koika…!"

But he wasn't listening, entranced in that _thing's_ gaze. His arms were limp at his side and he almost seemed as if he wasn't breathing. Picking up a discarded dagger near her feet, Nima made to lunged forward, but Dan grabbed her and yanked her pack into place.

"Are you _insane?_ " He gritted. "Look at that thing. It could tear you to pieces."

For the first time since they'd met, Nima growled right back at him. "I don't _care_. He's going to die if we don't do something." Before he could say anything else, she wrenched herself out of his grip and raced to Koika. She ignored Dan when he called her and stood between Koika and the thing - she honestly didn't know if it was a beast or a spirit or nothing at all. A small part of her now, facing the creature in all its horrifying glory, wished she had listened to Dan and maybe thought this through for a minute.

She remembered a remark her Uncle Lefty had once made about her when she was a small child after she decided to try and save a turtleduck that she _thought_ had lost it's mother- and almost drowned doing so.

"Just _like_ her daddy," he'd said, sending a half-pointed look at her parents when Uncle Longshot was making sure she didn't have water in her lungs.

And by that, now, she knew he more or less meant doing things rather… suddenly, without thinking about how one might better approach the situation first. Yeah. She could see where she had a little bit of that.

This felt like a bad idea now that she was surrounded by spindly tentacles for appendages, most of which were concentrated around her face. She quickly examined it's face, it didn't seem to have anything visible inside it's mouth, just a gaping hole with what looked like human lips surrounding it. All in all, it actually… resembled a human, albeit morphed and somewhat deformed, as if it's been distorted in the process of a transformation. It's body was long and winding, hunched and fragile, but clearly nimble. It's eyes glowered like freshly polished smoke diamonds. She'd never, in her sixteen years of life, seen anything like this that she just couldn't quite… _describe._

She wasn't even sure if it was of this world.

"Iluq…" Captain Koika weakly uttered behind her. "Son…"

Nima would have been more shocked if she weren't face to face with something that was probably about to have her for dinner. For all this dagger she had raised up in front of her, the hilt fisted in it palm, her muscles were torn between completely freezing up and wanting to just _move_. Move _anywhere_. Her instincts were screaming to the heavens: _run_.

" _Kaonaine_."

Dan.

" _Kaonaine_ ," he said again. His voice was getting closer and she dared to slowly - _slowly_ \- turn her head in his direction. Just enough to see him approaching them. The creature didn't seem to like that. Shyness or whatever it was, it began to… shrink. Shrink back into itself.

" _Kaonaine_." Dan said more strongly this time.

Whatever Dan said, the creature seemed to be listening and shrank back completely.

Into a human form. Just like the one of Nah Ja they had encountered earlier. This human form was of a young man, large and solid. He had dark hair falling around his shoulders, several braids tied in it. The clasps of his braids and his fur-lined attire resembled that of a man from the Water Tribe. His skin was brown - like Dan's and Captain Koika's - and now that he was… human again, his eyes were a blue. Not a smokey brown. But like Nah Ja's, they were vacant and no warmth radiated from them despite his amiable face.

Before Nima knew it, it had fled into a nearby shadow, but she still had the unnerving feeling that it was watching them.

Nima let out a huge breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Captain Koika was standing one minute, then fell to his knees the next.

"Captain?" Nima crouched down, putting a hand on his arm. "Are you okay? Please say something. Are you hurt?"

"Fine, lass. "He nodded weakly, almost out of breath. "I just… need a minute. Not as young as I used to be y'know… do you know what that was?"

Nima shook her head.

" _Vatqinokuro._ " Dan said, glancing around.

"Black Ghost," Koika added. Nima helped him onto his feet. "In our language- languages. Depends on how you look at it. They have all kinds of different names in different parts of the world, but they're rare either way. Don't like people, see. I think that's what spooked that one. You and Dan came along and it got scared."

"Oh…" Nima frowned. "So, it's shy?"

"Kind of. I've heard of them before. Even encountered one before to my misfortune. Most people never see one in their lifetimes. From what I know they're just kind of shadow dwellers. Mostly harmless - unless you're alone. Like a cornered animal, I guess. Get too close and it feels threatened. Probably what's going on now."

"So, our presence makes it feels threatened?" Dan asked, watching the space the Black Ghost had disappeared to.

Koika nodded. "I think so. And since we separated, they're probably just trying to pick us off to defend their territory."

" _They?_ " Nima raised her brows, but her stomach lurched. Then the one she had almost _walked straight to_ was a different one than the one Koika had encountered.

"Some of them like to live together. They just don't care for _humans_. And, you know, others not of their kind."

"...what happens if they catch you?" Nima ventured.

"Stories always tell of people who waste away in the gaze of people they've lost," he said quietly. He pursed his lips, seemingly half lost in his own thoughts. "It's… befitting to their nature, really. A bittersweet death, really. Do no harm, but let the wounds already there just bleed. They don't want to hurt you exactly. They just want you to not be there. That's why we call them Black Ghosts in the Water Tribe. Rare as they are, they never come out when there is a moon. Full or otherwise."

Nima's chest tightened. That sounded… horrible. And yet, not so bad all the same. "We need to go," she finally said. If they didn't want them there, then perhaps they should listen. They could rethink this through later on.

"What about the thing you were supposed to find?" Koika asked.

"I don't even know it's here and I won't risk you or Dan getting hurt," she said. "Let's just leave."

"Good," Dan agreed, clearly having enough for one day. "Because the only thing I want to see right now is the exit."

"We don't want you hurt neither, lass." he added. "Honestly, it was my own greed that had me in that thing's clutches."

Nima gave him a small smile. "Not really. You were only thinking of your crew."

Koika shrugged. "Path of good intentions. If we're being honest, wise people don't go looking for treasure. Happy people don't go looking for treasure."

Something inside Nima just… _stopped_.

 _Happy people don't go looking for treasure_.

 _The only thing I want to see right now is the exit_.

Exit. Treasure.

Wise people. Happy people.

There was that gut feeling again and it was just _whining_ at her inside.

Go _._

 _Go._

"Lass?" Nima looked up at Koika and Dan, both looking some part concerned. Koika put a hand on her shoulder. "You alrigh'?"

"We need to find the door. Right now-"

"Yeah, we know," Dan began.

"No, you don't understand. _Where is the exit?_ "

They combed through the vault for the path they had taken in - another measure of security that was convenient for anybody wanting to keep away treasure stealers. It was- gods, it was so damn _clever_. Roku was a man who never wanted his stone to be found. At least, certainly not by grave robbers or treasure thieves or people looking for it for the sake of looking for it. For the sake of having the advantage over other people. Her grandfather - her mother's father - would add on to the stories of heroes her mother would tell her before bedtime when they visited her grandparents in Republic City: "A hero is measured by the strength of his heart. Not by the strength of his own ego. That applies to regular people too though. Measure people by their heart. Not by what they think or would _like_ to think of themselves."

And the ideal person would have turned right around when they stepped in the vault. The ideal person wouldn't have even gone any further to meet a _vatqinokuro_ or see all the treasure the place had to explore. But people were only human.

The _right_ person would turn right around, _despite_ having seen what the vault had to offer, no greed or gold in their arms to distract them from the real treasure of this vault.

Finally, they reached the exit, those black doors that promised doom to all those who entered and salvation to those who exited. On top was a stone wedged at the very center, like an eye looking down on it all. She didn't even have to see it to know that it was special, red gleaming ripples subtle compared to the gold surrounding them. She could _feel_ it.

She almost grinned staring up at it. "Happy people don't go looking for treasure."

Face to face, she felt a pulse of relief from the stone.

 _Ah_ , it seemed to sigh. _At long last_.

* * *

I really liked this chapter, honestly. It was fun to write despite how long it took and I couldn't wait to post it. Hints and little clues were poked into here, but also a big highlight for me was Dan and Nima's conversation. Despite it's short nature, it's a really important one for them to have. Another step in understanding, but a very true and honest one. Probably the most honest they've had with each other so far. Also, I hope enjoyed my little teaser of Aang. That's important too.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! Those reviews really motivate me and keep me writing so that I can get these chapters out in a (semi) timely manner as life permits me. But they really keep me going and keep me feeling like I still have a story to tell. Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	26. The Warden and The Lieutenant

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **The Warden and The Lieutenant  
****

* * *

 _Warning for themes and mentions of genocide._

* * *

The stone fit snugly into the palm of Nima's hand, red ripples wrapping around the smooth surface. For a stone that was told to provide such extraordinary strength it seemed so… ordinary in and of itself. It was pretty, yes, but compared to the rest of the things in here it _looked_ like nothing at all.

"So, this is it, huh?" Koika peered over Nima's shoulder. "We came all this way for this little thing. You sure this is it?"

"Positive," Nima said, beaming. "There's no way it's not. Trust me on this one."

"I kind of have to after what you just did for me," he beamed back behind his beard. "Good work, lass."

Dan was looking over her shoulder too, examining the stone with a wary, pragmatic eye. She looked up at him, wagging her brows at him with smug pride. "I'm pretty good, aren't I?"

"You're lucky," he said. She stuck her lip bottom out, but he ignored her. "Now, let's get out of here."

And then without his prompting, the doors began to slide open.

Nima froze.

"I agree with Tokujo." The man that walked through had a voice like steel and a spine probably as strong as one from the looks of it. His cold gaze told anyone that he was a no nonsense man. Even worse, his attire and badge told her that this man was the _warden_. "Or, should I correct myself, the man who _says_ he is Tokujo."

Guards swarmed from the warden and surrounded them. Koika immediately pulled Nima closer to him as all exits suddenly became blocked off or otherwise considered suicide. Nima's heart dropped.

No, no, no. Just when they'd found the stone and we're almost _home free_.

And, yet, of course they'd gotten caught riding on _her_ luck.

She looked up at Dan and felt sick. He'd be branded as a pirate just like her even though he was only doing _her,_ essentially, an enormous favor. Meanwhile, Koika was an _actual_ pirate. And if there was anything she hadn't really needed too much teaching it was what the world thought of pirates- and where a lot of people believed they should be at. Usually, it was in their air, under the sea or beneath the ground. Not everybody believed that, of course. A lot of people just thought they needed rehabilitation or to be put in prison. Others… not so much. Enough people in authority that danger was simply a part of the territory. Every pirate knew that being caught by the authorities - whatever they may be in whatever country - was a possible death sentence. By many accounts, it was usually determined by the judge and their mood.

Nima discreetly tucked the stone in her dress, beneath her brassiere. Hidden behind Koika and Dan, she willed her feet to take a step forward, fully aware of the guards around them who all tensed at their every move, and gently pushed herself in front of them. The warden raised his brows slightly as if to politely asked what did she want.

She gulped, the words she might have had swallowed back into her. All she could manage was a quiet, "Please…"

The warden met her eyes for a moment, but then he raised his chin and said, "Take them."

-:-:-:-

The warden's office was plain if not a little cozy. Cushioned chairs were placed at an angle across from his desk. The candles burning around the room left a somewhat warm glow hanging in the air, the chandelier above providing the primary light source as Warden Atuna continued to fill out paperwork on his desk. At least, she assumed that was his name according to the plate on his desk.

Cross from his desk, Nima sat watching him. Unbound, unchained and unconfined.

She didn't understand. Quite frankly, part of her didn't want to. Why hadn't he kept her locked her up with Dan and Koika? She'd forgotten to breathe when one of the guards had pulled her and her alone from the cell she, Dan and Koika shared. Two of the guards had to step forward when it looked like Dan was about to get up. Another came forward when Koika actually _did_ get up.

She shook her head at both of them. Nobody needed to get hurt, Even if her own knees nearly gave out when they took her away. When they shoved her into the warden's office, she almost whimpered and stayed as close to the exit as possible.

Although Dan's words to her that day had stung a bit, they'd aldo rung true. Him saying the obvious just made it harder to live with. She'd known Icho's intentions when he reached for her that night. It distinctly reminded her of the feeling she got when Quil had cornered her in that alley. It...

She waited for the warden to elicit that feeling out of her.

That quiet, still, panicked feeling - but it never came. He'd only stayed on his side of the desk, politely asking her if she would sit down before he went back to his paperwork.

After some time, she couldn't stand the silence anymore. It stifled her and she finally asked, "What are you doing?"

"Paperwork that would bore you to tears," he said evenly, not taking his eyes off from his work.

"No." Nima shook her head. "I mean… why am I… in here?" She gestured to the room at general.

Warden Atuna finally leveled his gaze with her. "Would you rather be in a cell?"

She didn't answer. She didn't know.

That all depended on why she was in here, after all.

He sighed, putting his pen down. She watched him lace his scarred hands together and look her straight in the eye. "I don't fancy chaining up little girls. Let alone imprisoning them. And in your line of work I'm sure you know why." He pursed his lips dryly. "You may have committed a crime, and a pirate you may be, but I don't particularly enjoy the thought of hurting you or letting you be hurt. Not in my facility. Not on my watch."

Nima blinked. And just like that. Blunt, brutal honesty. Not a glimmer of malice or a lie in the lines of his face, the shine in his eyes. It was the kind of brutal honesty she knew her Uncle Lefty would offer her when he was being serious.

"...what about-"

"Your friends? They're both big enough my men will probably think twice about doing anything stupid."

"But not with me?"

It was his turn not to answer. A firm silence, indeed.

Nails she hadn't realized she was digging into the arm of her chair unclenched, her shoulders slumping slightly. She blinked, her back resting into the cushion of the chair.

"Now, may I ask why you and your friends were in my fortress? I'm assuming you came by ship and my men are searching the island shores for whatever ship you came on as we speak. You don't seem like much in need of treasure Miss Waterbender."

Nima bit the inside of her cheek. "It's Gyatso. But I'm assuming you already knew that too, didn't you?'

Warden Atuna smiled a little. "Smart. Yes, I know exactly who you are. I'm a fan of your father's work, if I must admit."

Nima blinked, sitting forward. "You are?"

"Yes. I'm aware of what your family... does for a living," his hands moved to prop up his chin. "Despite my nation's history and _my_ occupation, I do not believe in owning people. I am a warden and I oversee several facilities, but this is the only place I oversee that is not… intentionally designed to imprison humans."

She'd caught that last bit. _Humans_.

"I… don't hear that often. About my dad. My family in general. Except maybe my mom, but even then."

The warden shrugged. "I'm allowed to have my opinions. What is law and what is right are two different things. Your father does what is right, clearly. I can't fault him for that."

Nima wanted to say thank you. It wasn't very often that someone at least marginally complimented her father, but… when his face came to mind-

A small smile was all she could manage.

"And that raises the question," the warden said, raising his brows. "Why are you not with him? He doesn't strike me as the type of man to send his child on an errand such as this. Granted, I do not know him."

Nima shook her head and said, "He didn't send me." But that was all she would say.

The warden made a noise of affirmation. "Mm. So, you are here on your own accord. Most troubling."

They sat in silence for long minutes, Nima watching her fingers play with the fabric of her dress. The warden only went back to his paperwork after some time, not allowing her to leave, but not asking her any further questions. It was she who finally asked, "Why are you doing this?"

He looked up again. Without so much as tapping around the subject, he replied, "You're young. How old are you? Not a day over eighteen?"

"I'm sixteen."

"Ah, even younger. Yes, you don't even know who you are yet. You're a baby, quite frankly." Nima almost opened her mouth at that, but kept her comments to herself. "And you don't think you're a baby. You think you're perfectly capable. But you absolutely scream paternal issues."

Nima frowned. "No, I don't."

The warden smiled. Nima crossed her arms and looked away.

"At sixteen, you think your parents have it all wrong. Nobody understands you. You believe the world is out to get you and, sometimes, it sure feels like that doesn't it?"

"You have no idea," she muttered.

"Well, here's the truth: People understand you. But nobody totally understands you. That's fine. That's how it's supposed to be. The world isn't out to get you, but bad things happen and you need to learn how to deal with it in a healthy way. No matter how terrible it is. Whatever you're going through in your life is going to pass and it might pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass. Don't fall into the trap of thinking nothing good can ever happen to you so why bother. Take responsibility. Claw your way out. Learn how to put yourself first when you have to and roll over for no one. Don't be their victim. Be your own hero." Nima's face must have morphed into question because he went on. "I have a sister who went through hell at your age. You young souls don't get a manual on what to do when life doesn't go as planned. I, at least, can provide vague instruction. And, now, I do have paperwork that must be finished tonight so you will be escorted to your sleeping quarters. Your guards will be female and no one will disturb you. If you have need of anything, ask them."

As if they were summoned, two female guards swept into the room, swords at their sides and backs straight, the armor spiked at their shoulders and making their intimidation clear.

"What's going to happen to me?" Nima finally asked.

"We'll figure something out in the morning. I don't particularly fancy turning you into the Fire Nation government, but you're going to probably to need to serve some serious community service. I have connections for that. For you and your friends," he said when she opened her mouth to ask about Dan and Koika. "For now, you go to bed."

As she began to leave, Nima turned in the doorway, opening and closing her mouth a couple times.

Warden Atuna only nodded a polite dismissal. "Good night."

-:-:-:-

"You're not going to help her by tensing yourself up like that."

Dan's jaw tightened. "I'm not tense."

"Son, I hate to break it to you, but you were tense when you said that."

"Don't call me son."

Koika raised his brows. Dan said nothing and turned away. He wasn't _tense_. He was… _thinking_. Thinking about how they hell they were going to get out of here. And even if they did manage to escape this cell, how were they going to get to Nima and _out_ of this fortress?

He doubted that she had a plan of any sorts. Not with that cat deer look in her eyes when they'd come for her. If anybody was tense, it was probably her. He actually sent up a silent prayer that was _all_ she was right now. While he hadn't heard of any poor rumors about the warden, he also wasn't exactly sure if the man was all that much of a role model either.

"If you look like you're up to something," Koika said out of the corner of his mouth as he made it a point to pass Dan by. "Then they're going to keep their guard up. Guards get bored. And then they get tired. Don't give them something to think about."

Dan sighed through his nose. Captain Koika was… right. Another deep breath. Since when did he ever lose his head so quickly? He spotted a seat on one of the long benches in their cell - also, their sleeping quarters. The cell wasn't too small. Big enough for two people, thankfully. It had a privy in the corner for relieving purposes and concrete walls on two sides, iron bars making up the other two walls.

"Our only option right now… is to wait." Dan snapped his head to the man, but Koika only put a hand up. "Just wait."

Dan might have growled if he didn't agree. Rational thought pleaded to him to sit down and not be stupid. He was usually the one erring on the side of caution, but they were in a _situation_. Not only did they have to escape now, but they had to _find Nima_ and pray that _The Sea Viper_ was outmaneuvering the people now actively trying to find the ship. Their only ride.

Just as Dan was about to go take a seat, one of the guards began to unlock their cell, flanked by three other fully armed men at his side. He grinned wickedly. "Someone would like to see the two of you."

-:-:-:-

When Dan saw Nima in such a huge, empty vault, two guards at her back, he almost walked a little faster. She seemed nervous, but otherwise unruffled and not disheveled in appearance.

Good. Now, if they could just get the hell out of here-

A hand clamped down on Nima's neck and a strangled squeak escaped her lips. Dan lurched forward to reach her, but the guards on either side of them had it good in them to pull on their restraints.

"If you have your friends here to encourage you, you might remember better." The sleek, oily voice belonged to a lean man with a well groomed beard, pale skin and dark beady eyes.

"Let her go," Koika growled.

The man sauntering to stand beside Nima ignored him, peering at her face with interest. Waiting. When she only side eyed him with her chin forced up from the guard's large hand wrapped around her throat, he raised well groomed brows. "Well? I'm waiting. You know where your father is. Tell me and you can go back to your nice little cell."

She struggled to get her words out and Dan was cuffed when he pulled on his restraints again, ready to pull one of the men holding him onto the ground if he had to, tight as their situation was. "The warden- he said-"

"What the warden doesn't know won't hurt him. He's a busy man. And by the time you give me the information I want, it won't matter if he knows or not." The man shrugged.

"Lieutenant Uma," said the guard with Nima's neck in his hand. Dan made a note to cut his hand off at first chance. "Shall I persuade her further?"

Uma shook his head. "No need, Shada. That's why we're in here." He gestured to the room at large and took a step closer to Nima. "Now. I'll ask you again. Where is your father and his crew? Where is Captain Kai of the Waterbender?"

Shada lifted Nima off the ground just slightly. Just enough to make her struggle. If it weren't for the guards flanked on either side of himself and Koika pressing knives to their throat, Dan would have moved. Hell, he still tried, shoving against the men restraining them. Koika pushed harder, the older man having to have the knife pressed dangerously tight against his throat before he would settle down a little. Dan's jaw clenched and he tensed as the knife felt tight against his skin. Still, he tried to move another step, some instinctive part of him refusing to just stand there while Nima was being strangled.

He felt a dribble of blood trickle down his neck and almost didn't care.

Nima's gaped with the effort as she managed, "He's no- not my- _he's not my father."_

Shada put Nima down and cocked his head. "That's sounds like complete bullshit from someone who looks just like him. And his wife."

She scowled right back at him. "I'm not the only girl with my complexion, you know."

"No. No you're not," Uma mused. "But you're also the only one I know who's had her face in the papers all her life. Anybody who keeps up with the filth you run around with knows just who you are after a good look. So, if we're done with this nonsense, I'll ask again. Where is your father?"

Nima met his gaze with steely eyes Dan had never quite seen from her. "I already told you. I don't know. I don't know what you're talking about because he's not my father."

"You can't remember? Truly, you can't. Not even for your friends here? It would be a… shame if I were to split open their throats, wouldn't it?"

Nima paled and her mouth hung open. "Okay, okay. Hang on… please don't. Neither of them even really ...I really don't know. Really, I don't. I haven't seen my family in a couple weeks already. We got separated. They could be anywhere now."

Uma let out a sharp sigh through his nose. "I suppose you're just going to be difficult with this, aren't you?"

Nima put a hand up. " _Please_ , I don't _know_." She teared up looking at Dan and Koika. "Don't hurt them. I don't know where they are. I swear."

"That's disappointing." Uma said shaking his head. "Very disappointing. I was hoping to leave and have you tag along while I try to… reunite you with your family. Your father's quite the wanted man. The bounties on his head are rather large. I could get out of this dump and retire handsomely. But… very well. It doesn't appear you're much use to me then."

She took a step back warily, as if she could feel something amiss. "Then… you'll let us go back to our cells, right?"

Uma took a long time to answer. "...why, of course not. I can't have you informing the warden of my unannounced leave. But I won't have any of my men bloodying their knives on you and your friends... it's too risky for quick work." But his eyes held a wicked glint that Nima couldn't quite place. "As long as I've worked here, I've never met anyone who came _out_ of the vault. We make it so easy. So, so easy for your brainless lot to get in. But leaving… no, they never leave. Those scary bastards in there have always done the work for us."

"We're practically mere decoration here, boring ourselves to tears. I wanted to be a pirate hunter, you know, but this was a cushy promotion. More money. Why not? Now, I see that I should have been ridding the seas of your kind. People like you… you… the world is so enamored with _you_." Uma seemed lost in himself, his monologue. A vapid, dark look in his eyes as he beheld her. "But what are you? A rogue mutt of the worst kind. A pirate with arrowheads and dirteaters in her blood. You might be pretty, but you're still degenerate from a line of other degenerates. And yet _you_ came out of the vault." He became breathless. "Your kind… How? _Why?_ "

"My kind?" Nima asked, disgusted. "Which kind? The pirate kind? The Earth Kingdom kind? Or the Air Nomad kind?"

"It doesn't matter." He told her. "And I don't understand it, but it doesn't matter. You're going to either serve a purpose or go back into a vault where your people belong. That's for you to decide. And who knows? Perhaps, if I leave you in here, you'll suddenly remember where your father is."

"I don't _kno- eep_!" Nima was thrown to the ground near the back of the vault, Dan and Koika getting the same treatment as Uma and his men headed for the exit. Her hands found Dan's and she helped him onto his feet.

"Did you know that this vault was special? Laced with old magic? It was less of a storage area and more of a waste cleaner. In the days of Sozin, the foreign prisoners used to be housed on this island. Thing is, it's really inconvenient to have too many mouths to feed. So, old, unfortunately abolished tradition tells of any prisoners too long term here being shoved into this vault and… well, let's just say people aren't a good conductor of heat. For all that air part of your heritage cares so much about, they couldn't really handle it when it was too hot."

Dan felt like Nima's face looked. Her face was immediately crestfallen and her voice was nothing more than a whisper. "You can't…"

Clearly, Nima knew her history well enough to know what they were now standing in. She and Dan got up, lunging for the exit, but Uma only grinned as the vault door slid closed on them like a mask over his horrible face.

"I can," he said. "And I will. Goodbye, mutt."

* * *

The angle in which Uma went was not one I initially chose, actually. I had totally intended him to be purely about getting the bounties on Kai's head, but it ended up fleshing him out a bit more and that's going to end up coming around later on for a purpose. The whole thing about Nima being called a mutt too is a bit of a callback to Kai because he's been called that for basically all of his life. But, yeah, this ended up also having allusions and themes related to real life genocides and I hadn't originally planned that from the beginning but further brainstorming ended up bringing it this route.

I also ended up liking Atuna more than I initially thought I would. He's not a bad guy, at all. We'll see more of him in next chapter, too.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you or reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	27. A Fool's Errand

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **A Fool's Errand  
****

* * *

 _Warning for themes and mentions of genocide._

* * *

Nima's mind went blank as the vault warmed considerably, flooding her with all the thoughts and emotions of the past day. Her mind chanted at her:

 _Fool_.

They should have never come. She should have _never_ asked these men - asked Dan - to risk their lives for something that had nothing to do with either of them. Even if it was to save her own life. Hell, _because_ it was to save her own life. Her deal with the witch had been just that - _hers_. Nobody else should have been involved in that conflict.

Now, they were going to perish in the same manner her ancestors had. It was no secret how the Air Nomads of old had sometimes perished by the Fire Nation. The Great War had brought many atrocities, including the genocidal devastation of the Air Nomadic people. Her grandfather on her mother's side used to take her to the museum as a younger child whenever they would visit and he never quite omitted that part of their history. Of course, Rama probably knew all about it.

Now, it was looking as if she would never visit that museum again. Her throat closed up - from the heat or the thought that just came to mind, she didn't know. She would never see her brother again either.

She looked at Dan and Captain Koika. Did Dan have any siblings? And Koika with his entire crew…

Sweat slid down her arms and back now, the air harder to breathe than it had been five minutes ago. It might be torture, but someone could make it out of here. They had to open the vault sometime if they wanted the bodies. Nima plucked off the anklet from her leg and shoved it into Dan's chest while he was unbuttoning his uniform. He frowned at her, his brows knitting together and he opened his mouth, but she beat him to it, "It'll save you."

"This is an anklet." His breath was more ragged than hers and he was sweating harder than she was. Heat was clearly not his body's naturally favored state and she realized he would perish before her. "Explain."

"The deal I made- I mean, the bargain. Look, the _witch_ did something to this and it could save you." He looked at her as if she'd grown a second head. She pleaded with him, "I don't have time to explain everything. Just put this on and maybe you can escape when they open up the vault again. It was meant for me, but you should have it."

Dan just stared at her, something still and static in the way he looked at her with eyes slightly wide. "If it's going to save anybody then give it to him." He gestured to Koika. "I don't have much going on beyond what's already in this vault."

Nima opened her mouth to refute him, but no sound came. The vault door clicked open.

While Ranaka's hands were splattered in blood, her face was clean with a grim grin on her face. "Damn, it's a good thing I don't listen."

Ragged breath and panting, Koika strode toward Ranaka. "Gods be good, lass. You just saved our lives. How'd you find us?"

"I never quite went back to the ship when you told me to-"

"Of course you didn't."

Ranaka grinned. "-and I stole a female's uniform from the supply ward. I spotted Nima here being taken somewhere and followed. Good thing I did." She looked down around her feet where Nima couldn't quite see. "Poor lads didn't see it coming when they came out. I got most of that head bastard's little entourage when they came out, but he ran off before I could get him. Thought it might be a little more important to let you out."

"Thank you, Ranaka," Nima said, climbing out of the vault. "Thank you so-"

And then her heart stopped entirely. Her shoes were wet in something… not quite water. It was too sticky to be water, a little too thick. The sharp _tang_ hit her nose and she shuddered terribly, slowly looking down at her feet. Underneath her, there was so much- so-

 _So much blood_.

There lay Shada, dead as dead could be, his eyes open and pale and a pool of blood growing underneath him. She heard somebody talking to her, something grabbed her hand and she clenched her fingers around it for anything to grip. Anything at all.

Her chest was about to break from the scream she wanted to emit, but was too petrified to. It was all too much. The smell, the sick feeling of it under her feet, the deep, _deep_ almost black red color.

Her mind stopped working even as she inwardly begged someone to take her out of it. Take her away from this place where there was so much death and under her feet there was just _so much blood_ and she was going to get hurt again. Captain Quil was going to come around the corner and he was going to do _that_ to her.

Under her feet, all the _blood._

Someone was talking to her.

Her lungs hurt.

 _Dear gods, that could be_ _ **her**_ _blood._

" _Nima_."

A large hand was in hers, squeezing back far gentler than she was crushing his. Captain Koika towered over her, concern and gentleness etched in his features. She was panting, her lungs burning in her chest. Her grip loosened and she tried to squeeze Koika's hand again, but found her grasp not quite up for the task. Trembling from head to toe, Koika steadied her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Lass, it's me..." he began. "Do you know who I am?"

Nima nodded - barely. What… what _was_ that? Never. Never had she experienced _anything_ like that. It was like she'd been taken right back to the moment- She shook her head and screwed her eyes shut. " _No_ -" she whimpered before she was pulled into a crushing hug.

"Hey, hey," Koika hushed her. "Nobody's hurting you right now. It's okay. Don't go to wherever you just went. Come on, we all have to get out of here safe and sound. All of us."

Dan. And Koika. And Ranaka.

They were all standing around her.

Quil was nowhere near her.

Sucking in a shaky breath, she pulled back and forced herself to look at Ranaka. She wouldn't look at Dan. Couldn't bear to see what he might have thought. "D-do you know where to go?"

Ranaka nodded, her face unreadable in the torchlight. "It's not too far from here. Did you get what you were looking for?"

"Mm-hm. It's right he-" Nima froze when she touched the underside of her breasts. She felt no stone. No bump where she had tucked the thing away for safekeeping. "No."

How had-?

Uma.

When Uma's men came for her. They'd been rough dragging her away, clearly trying to rush her away somewhere none of them were supposed to be. Terror had gripped at her every heartbeat when they did and she wouldn't have notice the thing slipping out of her brassiere.

"Nima… where's the stone?" Dan asked slowly.

"I… I must have dropped it." She finally looked up at him, her eyes wide as she continued to feel her dress for the damned thing.

"Then we need to leave it and go."

"What? No! I can't leave without it! And you two almost got hurt because of it..."

"So did you. Which is exactly my point. We all almost died for it and now it's time to leave," said Dan.

Koika put a hand on Nima's shoulder. "He's got a point, lass. It's not that important."

"You don't _understand_." Nima felt her face warm and her hands tremble. Without the stone… "I _need_ that stone."

"Lass-"

"No, I _need_ that stone. If I leave without it then I might as well jump off one of these towers." She said with finality and turned to walk away "Go back to the ship. If I'm not there in ten minutes, just leave me."

A slender hand grabbed onto her arm as Nima began to walk away. "You're nuts," said Ranaka, pulling Nima back a step. "You're nuts for thinking I'm going to let you go crawl around this place by yourself. And it's not like you know where the exit in this place is. I'm coming with you."

Nima bit her lip. "Ranaka-"

"We don't have time to argue. I'm coming with you and then we're _all_ going to get the hell out of this place."

"I'm coming, too," Koika agreed. "We can't just leave you here all by yourself."

Nima didn't know what to say as she looked between the captain and his crew member. Then, she looked at Dan. If he wanted to go back to the ship, she would understand. She raised her brows at him in question.

But, as always, his face was stone and the deep cool of his rich voice lacked much of anything when he asked, "Do you know where you might have dropped it?"

-:-:-:-

Ranaka's ability with disarming an opponent was relatively frightening. She'd kept herself in uniform, close to Nima's back as she was leading Nima back to her "prison room." Dan and Koika would stay around the corner and listen in, but no sound came as Ranaka silently forced the guards into sleep along the way.

"My grandpa was a martial arts teacher," Ranaka said quietly as they moved the guards into whatever dark hidden corners they could find. "He was really good at that neck sleeping trick. Sometimes I think he regretted teaching me after realizing I could force my big brother into sleep whenever he annoyed me. I didn't… often."

They were about to move on from one young man, but Nima spotted something glinting in the light on the sleeping man's belt. "Wait." She bent over and removed a dagger, small but well made, off his person. She reached in and tucked it carefully into the side of her brassiere.

The guards from Nima's room, however, were gone. Had they known that Nima was not supposed to come back? Either way, it was convenient.

"It could be a trap," Dan said just as Nima was about to open the door.

Nima looked up at him. "Then what do we do about the stone? It has to be in here."

Dan was quiet for a second. He said, "Let me go first." He didn't give her a chance to protest and eased his way between her and the door, opening it carefully, slowly. The room, large in it's own right, was still lit by the candles she'd left on. They filed in one by one behind Dan, Ranaka seemingly ready to jump on anything that so much as moved and Koika like one large shield of a man on Nima's right. Nima reached in for the knife in her dress, careful not to slice herself as she drew it. She held the knife with it's blade on the opposite side of where her thumb lay on it's hilt.

"When you're not sure where to point the end," her father used to say. A tip from his days on the streets. "Point it on the end where your thumb isn't. That way, it can't be redirected against you by surprise."

That much she trusted him on.

"Do you see it?" Ranaka asked, scanning the ground.

"...no." Nima's heart fell into her stomach. It had to be here. Where else would she have dropped it at?

"Looking for this?"

Nima barely got a chance to twist around before a large hand had snatched her behind them. Dan was a solid weight at her side, his arm like a tree trunk between her and Uma. Despite his appearance, Nima could smell the blood on Uma. It wasn't on his uniform, but… his shoes. She could see the barely dried blood on his shoes.

He's gotten his shoes dirty on the blood of his men, but his clothes were so clean… he'd turned tail and ran as soon as the carnage had begun. Nevermind that the only reason why anybody was there was because of _him_.

"I knew you'd come back for this, dirteater," Uma grinned. Nobody dared move with that gun he had pointed at them. "One of my men said it slipped off you. Of course you'd come to steal it. Nice little treasure isn't it? It'd be all you need for the rest of your life. Probably worth a fortune or two just because it's been laying in here for so long."

Nima said nothing. So, he didn't know what it was.

Was he really just doing this out of some sadistic pleasure?

It was then she realized the gun in his hand was trembling.

"What do you want?" Nima demanded. "The stone? Take it, then. Just let us go."

They'd find another way. Any way. But she couldn't stand the idea of anybody getting shot over it. Too many people were involved as it was.

"This thing? Oh, I don't need this thing. Don't want it. Cost more than it's worth, really. But I like watching you scramble for it, dirteater. I'll enjoy watching you die for it."

"I don't understand you..." Nima shook his head. "Why do you want us dead so bad?"

At least, Quil had wanted her dead to get back at her father. She had an idea of what that had all been about. But this man... what exactly did he want? What was to be _gained?_ Of course, he wanted them dead for silence, but that ship had sailed when Ranaka left several men dead in front of that magicked vault. A smart man would have hightailed it out of there immediately. Why make the pit stop on the chance they would come back for the stone?

"You shouldn't have been allowed to leave. You should have died." Uma stared straight at her. She suddenly felt safer with Dan's arm between her and the man, wide eyed and hand shaking. There was something in the way he looked at her and nobody else that told her his motives were… savage. "Nobody's left that vault and you got out. Why?"

"Why does it bother you that I'm alive so badly? Have you… been in there?"

His lip curled back and he spat at her. "No, I haven't, dirteater." He ground his teeth. "Why would I want to go in- _aah!_ "

The gun fired and a loud bang went off. The four of them ducked to the ground.

Dan's hand against hers had been discreet, deliberate, gently prying the knife from her grip whilst Uma became more and more distracted with talking to Nima- and Nima had let him. Then, there was a flash and a scream. Now, that knife Dan had thrown - with amazing aim she had to admire- was buried in Uma's shoulder where the gun had been raised. Uma howled in pain, writhing on the ground as he clutched his impaled shoulder. " _You fucking sewage spitter! I'll kill you! I'll-_ "

Dan didn't give him a chance to get up, kicking the gun away from his hand and slamming his knee onto Uma's chest. Snatching the knife out of his chest, Dan held the red blade to the lieutenant's throat and bared his teeth. Before Dan could so much as flick his wrist to end Uma's life, Nima dug her fingers into his shoulder. "Wait." She pursed her lips, looking pointedly at Dan instead of Uma's crimson soaked shirt. "Don't."

Dan snarled, not taking his eyes off the man underneath his knee.

"You want to spare him?" Ranaka asked incredulously. "He was going to _cook you guys alive_. For money and because he's a crazy bigot no less."

"Look at him," Nima said, her lip almost curling at the hate in his eyes.

"I am. I'd like to see him dead while I'm doing that."

Nima gently shook Dan's shoulder. "We shouldn't stoop to his level. He's not _worth_ it."

"He needs to pay for his decisions," Dan coldly retorted. "Even _your_ father would have done it."

"He would have done it only to protect other people. Not just to please himself. My dad knows when to draw the line. The warden… he's a good man. Don't ask me how I know, but when the warden finds out what happened here then this guy's going to get his."

"You can't be certain of that."

Dan's shoulder twitched and moved underneath her fingers. Her breath hitched and she dug her fingernails into him. "Dan, please, _I don't think I can handle smelling death on you_."

He stopped. There was a still moment between them, the tenseness of Dan's muscles against her fingers a weight between them. He was still thinking about doing it, still considering of slitting Uma's throat open right beneath them. If he did, Nima would move away. She wouldn't interfere, but… she couldn't look at another pool of blood. She'd understand, but the deep color, the _smell_.

She didn't know if she could handle looking at a corpse when she'd just been one less than a few weeks ago. Her stomach lurched at the idea of it.

Dan moved again. He took the knife away from Uma's throat slowly, perhaps considering bringing the blade back in place to finish off his original idea, but Dan didn't put the blade back. There was a pause, a long pause of Dan just staring down at their would be killer and-

Nima yelped when Dan snatched up Uma's hand and carved off his thumb in a couple smooth motions. She didn't let go of Dan, but she looked away and winced at Uma's agonized wails. Hand over her mouth and nose, she listened as he screamed and _screamed_. Now, their time was very limited before guards began to hear him and come running.

Dan was still over Uma. Cold as ever, he said, "She asked me to spare your life, but appendages are forfeit. Live with the fact that you lost yourself your own thumb."

He discarded the bloodied thumb somewhere on the ground. Grabbing the stone gleaming on the ground, he stood up, not taking his eyes off the writhing, screaming man on the ground. Nima tugged on his sleeve. "Let's go," she pleaded.

Dan handed her the stone from his hand that was clean and unbloodied. Moving past them, Ranaka spat on Uma and nudged Dan. "That'll do, but I do wish it had been his dick. Gods know this one really shouldn't be procreating."

" _BITCH. DEGENERATE, SOULLESS DIRTEATING SLUT."_ Uma still shrieked, the pain of his thumb curling him into a fetal position. "I'LL KILL YOU IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO."

Koika began ushering them all out, an arm around Nima to guide her around the blood that was forming under Uma as he thrashed and writhed on the ground. "We need to go. Right now. People are going to start coming or some of those guards outside are going to begin waking up."

They didn't bother closing the door as guards were already running down the hall toward them. "Halt! Stop right there!"

Ranaka turned in the opposite direction. "Run!"

They sprinted down the hall, hurtling over bodies where the guards they'd slept were beginning to stir and turning sharp corners haphazardly. Dan and Nima began turning one way, but Ranaka grabbed them both. "No, not that way!"

"But that's the way we came in," Nima protested. "How are we supposed to get out?"

"I found another way out! C'mon!" The noise behind them began to pick up. "Hurry!"

Wasting no time, they raced after Ranaka, nimble and quick with her feet as she dashed around corners. Around them, more guards began to pop up as they speeded past the apparent sleeping quarters for this part of the fortress, the guards opening their doors with weapons and in their night clothes. One half-dressed guard grabbed Nima by the hair, she yelped, her neck not appreciating that sudden movement at all and she gasped as he drew a sword closer to her.

The man went down, clutching his face and groaning loudly. Koika pushed her behind him, rubbing his elbow from where it'd collided with the man's nose. "Hit the hard part of his nose," he panted. He pushed Nima ahead of him to where Dan looked like he'd been on his way back to her. "Let's go!"

Catching up with Ranaka, she'd kicked open a door leading to a balcony overlooking the open seas. It was almost as if this place had been a kind of… lounge area. Indeed, she swore she passed a kind of break room on their way here, but Nima couldn't quite recall. She wondered what this place had _originally_ been built for. A fortress, yes, but it almost seemed like it might have been brought up to be someone's home at one point. She'd have to ask about it one day.

"Now, jump."

" _Excuse me?"_ Dan had taken the words right out of Nima's mouth. They and Koika all looked over the railing. The bottom was clear of rocks… mostly, but it was a fair drop. Fair enough that her mother would probably rather die than jump that far down, but Nima could see the ship not too far away from where they'd drop, hiding in a shadow where the cliffs stretched out. Another small, but big enough blindspot on the island. She had to give it to the crew, they either did their research or they were very good at finding little hidey-hole spots for their ship.

"We don't have time to figure out another way. This _is_ the best way. We either jump or die." Ranaka began climbing the rail.

"If we jump, we might die anyway."

"Water is less likely to kill you then a sword and I have a feeling that at least a couple of those guards won't let you live to tell the warden what happened,' Ranaka said. "We don't have a choice."

She didn't give them another chance to argue and leapt of the balcony, diving headfirst into the sea below. After a moment, her head popped up and moved as she began swimming toward _The Sea Viper_.

Nima shared looks with Koika. He seemed about as thrilled as she was. She looked back at Dan. "You go first," he told her.

She almost glared at him. "Why me?"

"Because if you panic, I'll come in after you so you won't drown yourself."

That… was a fair point. She'd never jumped into the ocean from this far up. She'd never jump from _anywhere_ this far up. Behind them, voices were getting louder and she took a deep, sharp breath. It was now or never.

She didn't _dare_ look down as she climbed over the rail, placing the stone in her mouth and underneath her tongue. Screwing her eyes shut, she sighed through her nose and leaned her body forward. Then, she dived.

She screamed with her mouth closed, falling for a couple seconds before her face met the cool salty sea. Beneath the water was dark and… gods, it was a bit terrifying as all the night of the ocean stared back at her like an abyss. Desperate to get out of that almost as much as she was to get air, she swam back to the surface, the moon a guide to her freedom. Nima spit the stone into her fist and gasped for air, hearing two splashes of water behind her. When she looked back, Koika and Dan were swimming toward her.

She waited for them to get closer before she began swimming toward the ship.

-:-:-:-

The first thing Dan did was strip out of his clothes. They were soggy, but also tainted and he couldn't stand being in it for another minute longer. Janje had served some rolls, vegetables and meat in the mess hall for the four of them to eat. When Nima saw him come in, he swore her face relaxed just a little bit.

"That was…" Ranaka sighed, her breathing almost ragged. "Lucky."

"Were we?" Nima asked.

"You almost got cooked alive, so, yeah. I would consider that lucky."

Nima grabbed a roll, taking a big bite of it and slumping into her chair. When she swallowed her bite, she said, "I guess. If that guy hadn't tried to do that though… we might still be in prison. I don't know. That all just seemed really _unlucky_ to me."

"Don't think about it, lass," Koika told her, a piece of jerky in his hand. "It turned out the way it turned out and it'll creep you out for days if you think about what almost was. We're free now."

"I just don't understand. I didn't even know him and he seemed like he… _hated_ me so much. He didn't even know about the stone, but-"

Koika made a noise. "No, that was a lie."

"What?"

"That was a lie. He knew exactly what the thing was. I may not, but he knew. And he also knew what was in that vault. Think about it, he hates the position he's in, but he still stays. It's not like he's a prisoner there. He could have left whenever he wanted and his experience there would have afforded him a lucrative position elsewhere. And yet he stayed." Koika raised his brows at her. "He was there for a reason and you have the reason in your hand right now."

"But he never went in," Nima said, holding the stone in her hand.

" _But he never went in_. Why do you think that is?"

"...was he… afraid?"

Dan had been thinking about that for a minute now. Nothing about the lieutenant made sense according to his own testimony, but when put in the context that Koika was laying out the cues actually began to made sense.

Koika nodded. "Oh, yes. That man had something against you just because of what peoples you come from. He was entirely a bigot, but bigotry can quickly escalate when it feels slighted. You went in. You came out. You had the stone. You did what he was too scared to. You. Someone he felt was inferior to him. Where does that leave him now?"

Pride. So, it was his personal pride that had been slashed and he wanted Nima to pay for that. Nima was the one that held the stone. "And he knew who you were," Dan added, pausing between bites of his dinner roll. "That's what had him interested. You were a way for some quick money, then he realized you came out with the stone and his personal pride got mixed up with his original plan."

"Exactly," Koika said. "There was no need to kill us. Any of us. Yes, we could have told the warden, but he could have easily disguised that as "interrogation" because of who Nima is. Her father is a famous pirate after all. Anybody would have done that. He wanted to kill us - kill you, Nima, because it made him feel better. And you gave him the stone. Think of it as a conflict of interests." He pursed his lips. "Speaking of which…"

"I'm sorry," Nima said immediately. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my father or my family. I just… I didn't want anyone to know."

"I knew," Koika said, shrugging.

Nima looked up, mouth fallen open. "You did?"

He nodded. "Yes, I did. I remember your parents faces in the papers. They were all over the place, you know. For a good time, your parents were the talk of the ocean. And I've seen your face before, too, in the papers. Once or twice. And I've seen you dance before."

"Then why didn't you say something?"

"It was your choice to tell us who you were when you were ready," he shrugged. "And whenever you're ready, you can also tell us what this stone thing is about. Why you're here. It's nobody's choice but yours."

Nima looked at him, eyes bright.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I'm just… I'm not-"

"And it's also okay not to be ready, yet." Koika smiled at her. "Though, I can't lie, I'd appreciate some more information on that stone and why it's so important. I was able to stash a couple pieces of jewelry that we could sell, but…"

"We want to help you, girlie." Hyun said, coming in with another plate of dinner rolls. He sat down next to Nima and looked her square in the eye. "Do you know why we've helped you so far?"

Nima shook her head.

"Because you seem honest. Really, it comes down to that, doesn't it? Most things? Yeah, this started out as a thing where we scratch your back and you scratch ours, but it doesn't have to be like that. We'll help you because we like you. Hell, you saved our captain's life back there," Hyun gestured to a half-grinning Koika. "Dunce as he is. Now, we owe you. And none of us here became pirates because we wanted to occasionally dip our toe in the water. We'll go on an adventure with you, kid. Just say the word."

"But _why?_ " Nima finally asked.

That's what Dan wanted to know. Why would they risk their lives like this? Go through all of this? Dan didn't understand it himself.

Hyun shrugged. "Because you seem like a good kid," he glanced at Dan with reaffirming raised brows. "Both of you do. Captain, Janje, Tehan and I… let me let you in on a little secret, All of us except the captain grew up in an orphanage together. None of us would have survived the place if we hadn't spent our childhoods helping each other out. Then, we met captain here and he needed our help more than anyone. It's what you do for people. Helping them. At least, it's what _we've_ done all our lives. Point is, we've made it our life's work to help out good kids. It's why we have a crew."

"You guys really are a family," Nima said quietly, clutching the blanket around her and half-smiling. "A real family."

"Course we are."

"Just like mine," she croaked. Dan looked away. Hyun didn't say anything, be he reached out and patted her hand.

Dan might have gotten up if he wasn't so tired. Might have gone to bed if his legs would let him move. Instead, he sat there as Nima took a deep breath and began, "Just… I know this is all going to be really hard to believe, but… the stone is one part. I need to find more pieces. Do you know the story about the goddesses?"

-:-:-:-

"They escaped because you took them from their holdings, tried to interrogate them and then tried to kill them. All without my permission. Is that correct, lieutenant?"

"Lieutenant, you don't _understand_. They were-"

"In my custody. Where everyone was safe and also in _custody_." Atuna cut him off sharply. Gods this was a disaster. He rubbed his forehead. "I'd ask you what you were thinking, but considering you were about to subject three people to old torture commonly favored by bigots with power and on the side of genocide, I won't deign to allow you to explain unless the only reason is that you had no part of it. Considering your wounds and where we found you… I'm not inclined to believe that. Take him away."

Uma's eyes went wide, he paled almost as much as the bandage wrapped around his hand, albeit the blood was seeping through the thick bandaging. "Warden, sir, wait!" He pleaded, his desperately rising. "What's going to happen to me? I-I can't go away because of that-"

"Dirteater? Yes, so I heard that was your choice of word, was it not?" Atuna offered, brown eyes flashing. "I'm familiar with the term. My grandfather always hated it. It was used against him during the war and I remember how upset he would get when people even said it around him."

Uma's mouth fell open, but only a faint sound came from his lips. "Sir… please, I didn't know…"

"It doesn't matter if you knew or not. I'll be sure to petition a maximum sentence for insubordination and attempted murder. It may not match your cruelty, but some form of execution is in order if you were so bold and blinded by hatred. I know a few powerful legal men where you'll be going."

" _Sir-_ "

But Atuna dismissed him with a wave of his hand and Uma was dragged away kicking and screaming to no avail. When the warden turned to go back to his desk, he spotted a ship sailing into the distance through his window where one of the island's blind spots were. Not one of his ships.

He went back to his desk and back to his paperwork.

* * *

I'm actually happy to say that the next chapter is already done! I'd like to get a bit of a queue going though so I can update more regularly than I have been lately. Anyway, this chapter ends this first arc here, but there's so much more to come. As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me going and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	28. Stars and Horizons

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Stars and Horizons  
****

* * *

The next morning felt like a well earned calm. A reprieve after a night of adrenaline and near death experiences. Nima woke up early that morning, but didn't slip out of bed. Even Dan, normally an early riser, stayed in bed longer than usual.

"I washed my hands as best as I could," came Dan's drowsy voice. Nima picked up her head and looked over her shoulder in question. "You didn't react. I assumed you were fine."

Oh. The blood.

"No, I didn't really smell it…" She had detected a bit of something metallic beneath the smell of lavender. "Where did you get that soap from? It smells nice."

Dan grunted. "Saika had it."

"And you asked him for it?"

He said nothing.

Nima smiled and laid her head back down on the pillow. She rolled over, coming face to face with Dan's back, strong under the night shirt he'd been given. " _Did_ you ask him for it?"

He hesitated to answer, but sighed. "We both needed sleep."

"...thank you," she said quietly. "I'll… I'll deal with it. I promise. It was probably a one time thing."

The way he moved, he almost seemed like he was about to turn around, but paused halfway through. Still, he didn't get up or move away from her. Neither of them seemed to be inclined to go anywhere anytime too soon. She shoved away the most unpleasant thoughts, forcing herself into the moment. Searching for a less nerve wracking though, she asked, "What did you tell that… ghost?"

"Vatqinokuro."

"Yes, that."

"I said something to it in my native tongue."

"That much I kind of figured, but I meant what did you actually _say?_ If I'm allowed to ask."

He made a sound that sounded like half a growl. "I just told it to go away. Begone, more specifically."

"Begone?"

" _Kaonaine_. Begone. Best translation for it in the common tongue."

Nima settled her head more comfortably on the pillow and asked, "How did you know what to say?"

"I didn't. I guessed."

"You guessed? But I mean, why though?"

Dan sighed. "I grew up with stories of the vatqinokuro. In those stories, someone always told it to begone. Go away. They always listened. Don't know why, but they did. I ventured on the chance that they would listen now."

She was quiet for a long moment. "I never did thank you for that. So, um... thank you. We might be… not here if it weren't for you. I mean that."

He grunted, a noticeable shift in his shoulders. There was a silence between them before he said, "You let him live."

"I'm sorry," she said without missing a beat. "I know you wanted to do it. Maybe it should have been, but… it's hard to explain. I guess I just didn't want it to happen."

"You're never going to live out there if you can't make hard decisions."

Nima frowned and raised her head slightly. "But that wasn't a hard decision. You weren't doing it because it was _hard_ , were you? It made you feel better. I'm not saying he didn't deserve it, but you shouldn't kill people just because you _feel_ like it."

"Yes, and you're the authority on difficult decisions," he snorted, sitting up.

Nima sat up, too. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

He looked over his shoulder and she swore she saw a little bit of irritation in his eyes. "You were just betting on the fact possibility that the warden's going to take care of him."

"I'm not betting. I _know._ You didn't meet the warden. He's a good man. Do you even know why he pulled me out of the cell?" she demanded. "Because he didn't want me to get _hurt_. Because he didn't trust that all of his guards wouldn't do something to hurt me. He even said he admired what my dad does."

"So, that's what you're basing his moral standpoint on."

Nima's nose crinkled at that. "Yes, I am. It's not my fault that you don't trust anyone. If you hadn't noticed, Koika and his entire crew basically almost got arrested trying to help us get the stone. And they're still willing to do _more_. I don't know if you know this, but people aren't all bad."

"And people aren't always good."

"Well, I'm pretty sure he's at least going to get tried for insubordination. If that doesn't ruin him, then nothing will."

"Short of killing him."

Nima shot a glare at his back as he slipped on he began brushing his hair. "What was that comment about anyway? Why would I _not_ base my moral standpoint on that? You do realize what my dad does for a living right?"

"He captains a slave liberation ship. It doesn't mean much."

"Doesn't _mean-_ How does that _not_ mean much? Do you even know how much risk goes into that kind of thing?"

"A monk can still go to hell."

"You don't know _anything_ about him."

"Enough that you denied him being your father and it didn't seem to me like you had much of a hard time with that. You didn't hesitate. And, yet, when I talk about him, you get defensive."

"Of course I do. He's my dad. Just like I would defend my mom or my brother or sister or any of my uncles-"

Dan was putting his hair into his ponytail wraps and brushing them over his shoulder and down his chest. "I don't know your father like you know him, but I do know he felt guilty. And I also know a reaction when I see one. Just make sure your issues with your father don't get in the way of what we have to do."

Wow, _what_ a charmer.

"Has anybody ever told you that you're an ass?" He ignored her. "What do you have against my father, anyway?"

"I'm not the person you should be asking that."

"Oh, okay _wise master_. I'll remember that the next time you want a question answered."

"Let's just say that for someone who's supposed to be some feared captain, your father doesn't handle things very well."

"That's not-" Nima had begun to argue. Then, the image of her father's back to her in the cargo room that day she tried, again, to apologize came to mind. She took to glaring at Dan as he strapped up his boots and started to leave.

He took one last long, stony look at her from the doorway. She didn't finish her sentence.

-:-:-:-

Stupid Dan.

He didn't know what he was talking about. What did he know about her family anyway? Everybody had flaws. He did. She sure did.

A small voice inside of her pondered about the results of those flaws. Did someone having flaws excuse something? Of course not, but that didn't mean it made them a bad person.

It also didn't make them very forgivable…

Nima shook her head and just looked back out a the sea. After everything that had happened yesterday, Captain Koika wasn't going to make her do any chores. Not that he ever made her do too many, but apparently he'd decided that a day of rest was in order. Normally, she'd love that, but for once she actually wished she had more to do.

She climbed up to the quarterdeck, a lounging Hyun leaning on the gunwales with an apple in his hand. "Mind if I join you?"

"Bored?" he drawled.

"A little," she admitted. "Or, well, not bored exactly. I guess."

Hyun chuckled. "Well, that clears up everything." He pulled another apple out of his pocket. "Here. Didn't see you at breakfast this morning. You must be starving."

"Thank you," she said, taking it. "How's everyone… taking it? What I told them, I mean."

Hyun shrugged. "Nobody disputed you, did they?"

Nima shook her head. "No, but nobody really asked too many questions either."

"It's not polite to ask too many questions, honestly. But I understand your misgivings," Hyun said. "Well, Captain's bound to believe you. As am I. I've been around enough sailing these seas to believe in magical swords, honestly. Ranaka probably isn't sure about the sword, but she likes you well enough. As for the rest of the crew? They'll help you no matter what, sword or no sword. Besides, it's not the sword we have a hard time believing. Real question is, what does this witch have on you that you need it? You never quite elaborated on that part."

Nima winced. She hadn't. She'd stopped at the fact that she needed the sword of Kinguyakki for a witch she'd made a deal with. "Right."

"You said you made a deal with a witch. I see what she gets on her part, but what about you? People don't make deals with witches for nothing. So, what is it? Power? Money? Love?" He peered at her, but she said nothing. "From the looks of it, there's a kernel of truth somewhere in there, but my question still stands. Kid, what _happened_ to you? Why are you even here? That's been an the elephant in the room for a while now. And I know I said we'd help you. We will. But I also want to know why my crew here might be risking their necks here."

"You know, you guys don't have to help us. Dan and I will do just fine. I don't want anybody else getting hurt."

Hyun shook his head and nudged her. "And let you guys go on some big quest all alone? You won't survive."

"We're pretty resourceful," she protested. "What _I_ can't really believe is that you're just so willing to help us."

"Sounds like the human icicle and you have been talking. Pretty hard to believe people just feel like lending a helping hand, isn't it? Yeah, that's the world we live in. Can't blame you guys for not totally trusting us."

"I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean it like that. I don't know what came over me…"

Hyun smiled. "Don't apologize. I'd feel the same way if I were you. Truth is, we have our own reasons for kind of going anywhere and everywhere for almost anyone. Here, I'll share if you share, okay?"

Nima frowned and took a slow bite into her apple. "Are you sure you're allowed to tell me that?"

"Sure, I am. Here, I'll tell you what's our deal if you tell me what's yours. How about it?" Nima hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. Well, first... there's business to consider. We always have to be on the move for new business opportunities. Some smuggling here, a little bit of stealing there. You know how it is, I'm sure. There's also… well… Iluq."

"The captain's son?"

Hyun nodded. "I take it you've heard of him by now, then. Well, you know. There's always the hope that someone's seen him. Or heard from him. Or that we'll just run into him one of these days if we keep moving. I think that's how the captain deals with it. How we all kind of deal with it."

"You loved him," Nima said gently.

"Like he was my own. Basically was my own. Boy was mostly raised on this ship and then completely joined after his mother passed. None of us even remember what Koika and Iluq argued about but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with his mother. He took her death pretty hard."

"And that's when he ran away."

Hyun nodded. "Captain hasn't been the same since."

"Is that why he just… stays in his room sometimes?"

"It's where he is right now," he said affirmatively. "And we leave him to it most of the time. Check in on him, of course. The man always feel like he failed as a father, but if you ask me, it was both of them. Koika had a hard time talking about Takara's passing when that's all Iluq wanted to do. Talk about it. I love them both. I do, but I also have to be honest. Koika really needed to talk to Iluq about Takara and her passing and Iluq needed to understand that it was _hard_ for his father. Takara was the love of his life and now she was just _gone_. But the same could be said for Koika. Takara was Iluq's mother and now she was just gone."

"That's…" Nima's eyes focused on the horizon so far away. "That's so sad…"

"It is. I guess… in a way, helping you is how we deal with Iluq being gone. Make up for all our failures where he was concerned. That's the thing about family though, you know? Everybody feels like they played a part..." Hyun looked up at her, brown eyes solemn. "Feel like having a turn? I won't make you, of course."

Nima was quiet for a long time. Long enough that Hyun stopped looking at her and just stood next to her in content silence. Her heart pounded in her chest as the words rose in her throat. It came out in a breath. "I died."

There was a long pause before Hyun uttered. "Begging a little pardon there? Did you just say that you _died?_ "

Nima didn't know when her eyes had begun to sting, but her hands were shaking as they burned the image of the far horizon in her mind. "My dad and I had an argument. A bad one. He didn't talk to me- wouldn't… when we ported, I ran off to get away from the ship for a while and an old enemy of my dad's found me. Captain Quil."

" _Captain Quil?_ Of the Blood Moon Pirates? That Quil?"

"It's not the first time he's tried to hurt me, but when he captured me, this time, he stabbed me in my stomach…. and I… I woke up in an underwater bubble. Magic. The witch says I'd been dead for a week, but she had put some magic on me so I didn't… rot." She almost choked on the word. "I guess."

The long pause between them almost suffocated her. "...are you sure she was, um... telling the truth?"

"I had... blood. A lot of it. It was all over my dress. Too much. If I'd really lost that much blood then I was definitely gone. I'd also met her before. I kind of… stole money from her, but I didn't know who she was. She wanted to get it back so she placed a spell on me and it did this binding my soul to the earth kind of thing so when my body died, it was basically frozen in the moment after it had happened because she didn't get it all back. That's why she was able to bring me back. Because she had never allowed me to cross over in the first place. As I understood it at least."

"I see… you've, uh… you've thought about this. A lot, then. If you can summarize it like that. Kid, you don't have to say anymo-"

"So, I had to make a deal for my life." Nima was on automatic. If she stopped now, she'd never say it again. "She let me live. I get her sword pieces. Once I get them all and give them to her then I'm free to live my life. Until then, she owns it." Another long silence. "I know you might not believe me. It's hard- too hard, to believe, really. But it's the truth. If I don't do all of this then I'm dead anyway."

Hyun just stared at her. And stared and stared. "I, uh…" He shook his head and took a big bite into his apple. "Wow…"

She didn't look at him. Whether he processed it or not, it was off her chest and she had told him the truth. Part of her wondered if he thought her crazy. Nima opened her mouth to say something - anything just so it wasn't quite so silent - when Hyun put a hand over wrists she didn't realize had been trembling so hard.

"Well, kid. I'm, uh- I'm proud of you."

"...you're what?"

"I _said_ that I'm proud of you," he said, looking at her now. "That wasn't easy to say."

"I'm… not sure I follow. What's there to be proud of exactly?"

"For starters, in the span of a couple minutes you just told me a couple of your most raw stories all while shaking so hard that you've almost dropped your apple." Hyun put a hand under her apple and lifted it so it didn't fall right from her hands. "Not everybody knows how to do that."

Nima hunched her shoulders. "I don't know. It was more that if I didn't get it all out then I was never going to get it out ever again. Kind of an all or nothing thing, really. They're not exactly stories I like to go over again and again."

"Here's a secret: most people keep their troubles close to them. For a lot of reasons, of course. A lot of times they just hurt too much to talk about, maybe they're scared or just see it as nobody else's business. Sometimes, it's all of the above. You've just shared yours with someone that's effectively a stranger to you. Good on you."

Nima frowned. "You're not a stranger. Not anymore, at least."

Hyun smiled. "I'll thank ya for such an honor, then, madam." He took another bite into his apple. "EIther way, it's good to talk about your troubles from time to time. It keeps them from eating you alive."

"But do you believe me?"

He turned his head back and forth as if weighing his answer. "Yeah, I suppose. I'm definitely inclined to, at least." Nima slumped slightly, but he nudged her. "What you've told me is a tall order in the believing side o' things, but I also don't think you'd have a reason to lie and I'm pretty sure you're not crazy. It also… makes sense in an odd way, I guess. Why would you be out here otherwise? Daddy issues aren't going to make you break into a world renowned gem fortress."

Nima's eyes narrowed. "I don't have daddy issues."

Hyun didn't have a retort for that, but he didn't take his eyes off her as he took another sizeable bite into his apple. His silence was enough of an answer.

"What? I don't."

Hyun shrugged. "Speaking of issues, I heard you and lone mountain this morning when I was passing by. Everything okay?"

Now, it was Nima's turn to bite into her apple. "He's such an ass, sometimes. He has a problem with the fact that I had him not kill that lieutenant-"

"The one who tried to cook you guys alive?"

"Yes, _that one_. Nevermind, that it was Dan's decision not to do it. I think he thinks it's a sign of weakness. And also he was kind of making jabs at my dad and told me to make sure my "issues" don't get in the way of what we're doing."

"Ah. A man on a mission. I can see where he's coming from. I know Ranaka probably wanted to take that guy's eye out. You know, girlie, you can't blame them, can you?"

Nima pursed her lips, took a smaller bite from her apple and sighed. "No," she said, swallowing her bite. "I don't blame them though. I get it. I'm not an idiot. I… I just-"

"Nobody said you were an idiot. At least, I'm not and I'm willing to bet Dan's not. He's just a pragmatist. You, on the other hand." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "You're just the type of person who doesn't like to see people suffer."

Maybe. Perhaps that's how it could be described. She grumbled, "I'm not into killing. People like to talk about justice and getting what they deserve, but that's not what everything's always about, is it?"

"No, it's not. But not everybody sees the world the way you do. Look at how quickly you took to us compared to Master Statue. You guys have different experiences. Do you even know where he comes from?"

Nima paused, then spoke slowly. "I… know he's from the Water Tribe. But… I guess that's it."

"Right. You don't know even _which_ tribe he's from and what his life was like there. Hell, you don't even know if he's _from_ one of them. Just his heritage. His experiences have led him to be the way he is. Just as your led you to this moment. Don't get me wrong, kid. I get it. It's not your style."

No, it really wasn't. Her father had never prolonged killing. Avoided it when he could. And she'd only very recently started being allowed to participate in raids, but even then she had supervision.

"I've just kind of had enough death. I don't want to see more blood and bodies and-" Nima closed her eyes and shuddered. "I've had enough."

Hyun put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I agree. I can see it in your eyes. Like I said, you're the type of person that just doesn't like to watch people suffer. Even if they deserve it. And I get that. Honestly, if less people had to suffer then I think the world would be a better place. But we don't live in a perfect world. And the idea of _justice_ is actually a lot easier for most people to accept than _compassion_. The idea of what people _deserve_ comes to mind much easier than the idea of what one should do." He shrugged. "On the same token, you can feel compassion for someone and know you should do nothing to help them. Sometimes, nothing is the hardest thing. But I have a feeling you weren't raised to do nothing. That being said, it's ironic for that guy that he owes you his life. You were merciful."

Nima shook her head. "I was afraid."

"You were merciful _and_ afraid." Hyun pushed himself off the rail he'd been lounging on. "And that's alright. Either way, you might have served him the justice he truly deserved. Just remember, kid, you can't save everyone. You're not cruel, but everybody's not redeemable, Nima. Where things get complicated is when you have to ask yourself, what should _you_ do."

"What I should do?"

"You have a good heart. And hearts like yours are easier to lead astray. So, no matter what you choose, compassion or justice, you need to be in control of what you become. Make your decision." He levelled his gaze with her. "But make _your own_ decision. Dan will come around. For one reason or another, he also made his choice by doing what you asked. He _chose_ not to be the executioner." Nima made a noise of affirmation and Hyun began walking down the stairs before stopping to look at her again. "But you get my point. Anyway... hey, I don't know about you, but an apple's not going to cut it for me. Want to go raid the pantry for a snack?"

She blinked, at first, then smiled. "Sure. Sounds good." After all, she hadn't had a proper breakfast. "Hey, Hyun?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"My pleasure, girlie. I'm old. It's my job."

-:-:-:-

Thirty years on a pirate ship had Kai very well acquainted with stars. That didn't mean he liked staring at them all night in the sky and all day on a map. But for Nima he'd do anything. If it meant bringing Nima home, he'd research every star in the sky.

A delicate hand placed a cup on the desk he had flooded with papers. Papers and books and more reading than he'd ever done in a lifetime. "Love, you need rest." Jinora placed a soft hand on his shoulder as well. "You've been at this all day. Even Otaku's in bed."

"I'm usually the last one asleep," he said, shrugging his shoulders, but her hand didn't move. "It's fine."

"No, it's not. Everybody else is in bed. You should be, too. Nima's not going to be found by morning."

"She's _never_ going to be found if I stop, Gyatso." He got out of his chair so abruptly that Jinora had to take several steps back. "Constellations. Which constellations? What about them? There are a dozen stories about each of the most famous ones and their individual stars. It could mean _any_ of them."

"Otaku thinks he's made some progress…" Jinora said weakly. "He says Roku's Flare has one fairly consistent story. There are a couple versions, but they're all virtually the same. Perhaps you should talk to him tomorrow."

Kai looked at her, then returned his attention to the map on the celestial map pinned to the wall. How long had he stared at it? How many stars had he burned into his mind in the past hours?

"Captain, you need to rest."

"I don't need anything, right now. I need some silence right now." Kai bit his lip. He hadn't meant it the way it came out. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and turned around. "Gyatso-"

"Do you think this is easy for the rest of us? For me?" she demanded. "Do you think I don't lie awake at night? Thinking about how my daughter's out there in the world and how _scared she must be?_ I love her just like you do. I want to find her just like you do-"

"Gyatso, I'm-"

" _And I'm not going to make it if I feel like I have to deal with missing her by myself_."

"Gyatso, I'm sorry." Kai walked up to her, felt the fire under her skin and kissed away the tears leaking from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean what I said. Or the way I said it. I just…"

"Don't know what else to do. I get it." She grabbed the cup of tea from the desk and presented it to him again. "But I also need you to be _here_. In reality. Getting Nima back is going to be harder if you pass out from exhaustion."

"You know, I'm actually pretty good at not passing out in general," he said behind his cup, but winced at the look Jinora gave him. "Nevermind. What were you saying about Otaku?"

Jinora hooked a gentle hand around his elbow and led him out of his study. "Otaku thinks he might have a starting point. All the other major constellations have various versions of their stories that vary pretty differently. Except for Roku's Flare."

Kai took a sip of his cup and almost downed the entire thing in the next sip. When was the last time he drank something today? "He thinks it's a good place to start our search?"

She nodded. "All the main versions of the story are essentially the same with a minor thing here or there. And they all end the same. He went to bed, but tomorrow I think he and I are going to look further into that."

"You'll need more material, then?" She nodded with a noise on her lips and opened the door to their bedroom. "We'll port then. Maybe somewhere in Republic City? They have a lot of good places for that… and it's probably high time we visited your parents. Especially now that they've probably gotten our letter…"

The idea of having to face Jinora's family just… sickened him. He didn't want to look at them and see what they saw. A father who messed up. A man they'd been right about in the beginning and made part of their family regardless. Given a chance.

A chance he'd completely tainted, now.

"I... " Jinora pursed her lips as she took Kai's clothes from him. "I actually think we should go see Kida."

Kai frowned as he slipped on his night clothes. "Kida?"

"You know she's in the black market. Who knows what she's seen? What she's heard? Maybe she could help us figure some stuff out? We need to know more about this sword. If we can figure more about this sword then we can have a more solid lead then just guessing about constellations."

"What about the story? The one you used to always tell the kids?

"But I only know about the story," Jinora said, climbing into bed with him. "I only know what the story tells me. I don't know how many pieces the thing's split into. I don't know anything about the history of this sword. If it's real then there has to be more information on it. And the more we know about then we can either help Nima or, at least, have a better path to find her."

"...I wish I knew how to read before I met you."

Kai stared at the ceiling, his heart dying a little in his chest with every beat. Or, at least, part of him wished it would. He could feel Jinora turn to look at him. "What?"

"If I'd been a bit more well read growing up. Maybe been more, you know, studious… maybe I'd know a little bit more about this thing. Who knows?"

Jinora sighed and laid her head on on his chest. He didn't look at her, but she put her hands on his chin and made him. Her eyes bored into his. "Listen. I'm probably one of the most well read person you're ever going to meet and even _I_ don't know anything about this. Not me, not Otaku… You can't blame yourself for not knowing about it. You can't blame yourself for any of this."

Kai sat up. "That's bullshit."

"Captain-"

"Don't _Captain_ me, Gyatso. That's bullshit and you know it. Nima wouldn't even have… she wouldn't _be_ out there if I'd just talked to her. You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it. So, don't patronize me about this." When she didn't say anything, he rubbed his face with a heavy hand and muttered. "Sorry… M'sorry…"

"I'm not trying to patronize you." Jinora said gently. "I'm trying to keep you focused. I blame myself, too. Don't say I shouldn't because _I'm her mother_. I should have… I should have done more. But we won't find her if we're not focused. We won't find her if-"

"If I got off this ship for too long and did something stupid, right?" More silence. "I'm not upset. It's… just the truth. We both know how I am."

"I can't lose you. And your kids can't lose you. Even Rama and Taani have been helping extra in anything they can. They're scared. All of us are scared, but we can't be scared to lose you, too. You understand?"

Kai laid back down. "I do. I do understand. I'm… I've been in my head so much lately."

Jinora laid her head back down in the crook of his arm. "I know you have. That's why I'm here."

Kai almost smiled at that. "Yeah, I suppose you are."

-:-:-:-

"I need to know something."

Dan turned around from the desk, from the map he'd been looking at. Nima was leaning against the door, her hands still at her sides. He turned back to the map, his eyes trailing various constellations. "What is it?"

He didn't hear her move any closer. "I need to know if you still want to do this."

"You're going to need to be more specific," he said. "There are a lot of things I'm doing at the moment."

She sighed. " _Helping me_. I want to know if you still want to keep doing this. You almost died back there… you almost went to prison, at least. You know you could leave. You could go back to living your life."

Dan snorted. "No, I can't. I can't very well return you to your family if you're not with me."

"Then, I'll send them a letter. I'll visit my grandfather or something for proof and send a letter from there. I'll have you released from whatever contract my dad has you in."

Dan turned around and looked at her. Really looked at her. Her jaw was tight, her eyes slightly large and she clasped her hands in front of her. Not for a second did she look away at him, even if she seemed to want to cave in on herself just by looking at her. "It's not that easy. Your father threatened to kill me if I didn't bring you home."

Her hands fell back to her side. "My dad wouldn't do that... he's not that type of person."

"Well, he did," he told her.

"Why?" Dan frowned in question, but she went on. "Why did he do that? How come you two didn't get along?"

He went silent and almost opened his mouth, but the world weren't quite on his tongue. What was he going to tell her? Telling her that he had helped hunt down her family was… less that great. She'd never trust him again and go her own way. Maybe they'd kick him off the ship and leave him stranded again. Captain Kai's eyes flashed in his mind.

There was nothing in them that had given him the idea he'd made an idle threat.

Finally, Dan said, "You died. This may serve as a surprise to you, but he happened to care."

Nima raised her chin and clenched her hands into fists. "I never said he didn't."

"Then stop asking questions like that," he said quietly. "Your dad and I just didn't get along. That's all."

He didn't even have to look at her to see the skeptic in her eyes. The way she squinted at him slightly for a moment, but her hands relaxed and she took another step closer to him. "What are you doing?"

He put a blunt finger on the star map and traced the lines of a constellation. "Looking at these constellations. We need to know where to go first. Any idea?"

She blinked at him. "You want my help?"

He didn't answer her and turned back to the map. She was at his side a moment later.

* * *

Finally, a new chapter. I've also got chapter 29 done so it shouldn't be _too_ long till the next chapter drops. This chapter was definitely transitionary, but things roll more next chapter.

As always, guys, I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thanks for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	29. The Ship of Stars

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **The Ship of Stars  
****

* * *

The vastness of the world was never more apparent to Nima than it was now. She'd sailed all over the world. Her whole life she'd been aware of just how big the world truly was, but only now, looking at all the possible places these sword pieces could be, did it really _hit_ her.

One could be in a grand palace ten thousand miles away from where they were right now and another could be at the bottom of the ocean. Another could be buried in a hole on an uncharted island.

It gave her a headache.

Koika, Hyun and Dan circled the table with her, Koika standing across from her and watching. "Well, lass," he said. "It's on you. Do you know where to go?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea," she replied, glancing at Dan. "Neither of us do."

"Gem Fortress Isle was a hunch." Dan came around the table, his eyes and finger sliding over the map. "A hunch from a story that we got lucky on."

"Wasn't all luck. It was good observation. You got it, didn't you?" Hyun said, crossing his arms.

"It was still a hunch," Dan grunted.

"Okay, almighty grump. It was a really _good_ hunch though." Hyun smirked when Dan didn't say anything back and he winked at Nima. She tried to hold back a smile. "Now, do you have a hunch on what the thing actually does?"

"According to the story of Roku, the stone's supposed to make you more powerful, but I sure don't feel much more powerful. Maybe it only worked for firebenders though..." Nima turned the stone over in her hand. It was a pretty thing, but that was about it. She hadn't forgotten the way it had… noticed her, though. The way it seemed to have spoken to her. Tugged at her was probably a better way of putting it. That latch from which it had tugged hadn't really quite _unlatched_ itself.

"Perhaps it can't do anything without being whole again," Koika suggested. "Without the other pieces, it's nothing. It's poetic, really."

Poetic or not, Nima had no idea what the comet stone did. Why it had latched onto her when she first saw it was a mystery to all but itself. Still, it couldn't have been for nothing.

She walked around the table to the star map on the wall, examining it for anything maybe she just wasn't seeing. The stars had led them to the stone then the stars could lead them to the rest of the pieces, couldn't they? She had a feeling that it was going to be _much_ harder than that though.

Truth be told, she had no idea what to do.

She turned back to the regular map on the table and slid a finger over the seas. "I don't know where to start, but _maybe_ the pieces are closer together than we think."

Her nail slid over Gem Fortress Isle.

"Nima."

"What if it's a wild goose chase and the pieces are right under each other?"

"Nima, you're hand is glowing."

"What?" Nima looked down at what Dan was talking about, where her fist was a bit warmer and definitely brighter as pink light peaked through the cracks of her fingers. She turned it over and saw how the ripples shone over the glowing stone.

What the-

She looked down at where her finger was still pinpoint on Gem Fortress Isle.

She moved her finger east of the isle. The stone dimmed. She moved it west of the isle. The stone began glowing again.

"Well…" Hyun's voice was weak. "There's one power right there…"

"It's a locater," Nima said, then she grinned. "It's a _locater_. At least, for me it is. I really hope this is telling me where to go."

She slid her finger even further west and it became so bright that she had to shut it in her fist again. After a little while of testing the brightness of the stone in various spots, she tapped one spot on the map in particular.

"There's nothing there," Dan squinted. "This thing might be in the middle of the ocean."

"Or on an uncharted island," Koika said, stroking his beard. "The Wujin Sea is very large and any cartographer could have easily missed an island small enough."

Nima bit her lip.

The Wujin Sea.

Tikaani. Maybe they'd meet Tikaani while there.

"Are you sure you want to go there, kid?" Hyun asked Nima.

Nima looked between Hyun and Koika. "Are you?"

Koika shrugged. "I wouldn't be discussing it if I weren't. Besides." He half-smiled. "Last time I checked, I owe you."

"Captain Koika, you don't have to just because…"

"Just because you saved my life? Oh, yes. I really do. Now, let's stop talking about it and let's get moving. The sooner we get there, the better."

-:-:-:-

Kai realized he hadn't been to Jietou in some time. Longer than usual.

They hadn't really had a chance to stop by before-

Kai shook his head. Jinora was already worried about sending him by himself alone, but he insisted on it. As much as he loved Gyatso, he needed some time alone off that ship for a second. Every time he was cooped up there, the walls threatened to suffocate him and every turn held some memory of his daughter.

Jinora could come with him later somewhere. To get a drink, maybe. Lunch. Something that didn't feel like life or death for maybe just half an hour. To add to the list of things he did wrong, the way he'd been treating Jinora was on that list now, too. He'd figure out how to make it up to her when he could get his own head back on his shoulders.

Nowadays, it still brought him pride that he found Kida in the same trading shop he left her to. It was one of those decisions that he had no regrets on. Mako and Bolin had been the right people to leave Kida with.

A woman with dark hair spotted him as he walked into the shop and her grey eyes lit up. A grin split her lips. "Kai." Kida put down her box behind the counter. "It's been a while."

She came around to hug him and Kai returned it. "Too long. Where's Mako?" He asked, looking around. "And the Beifongs?"

"Mako's actually with the family on _The Tigress Shark,_ but they'll actually be in later today _._ He spends more time on ship with Tikaani and Korra these days. You know, catching up, after everything that happened. I think he feels like he needs to make up as a father. Nuka joins them, too. They've made it a family affair. A lot like you guys, really. It's good for them." She smiled. Kai tried to return it. He could certainly understand making up as a father. Gods knew he had a _lot_ of that to do. "As for the Beifongs, I told Bolin and Opal to take the day off so they're out in town with the kids right now. So, it's just me at the moment with a couple of the assistants, but Bolin said they'd pop in to lend me a hand if I needed it after they were done for the day. What about you? How have you guys been doing?"

Kai tried to smile and he shrugged. "Can't lie, but it could definitely be better."

Kida's face fell. "Is everything okay? Are..." She frowned. "Where's Jinora? And the kids? Did something happen?"

"Jinora's fine. So is the crew. And most of the kids are. Mostly."

"Mostly?"

Kai shoved his hands in his pockets. "Kida, I, uh… I really need your help."

-:-:-:-

Kida bit her nail on one hand, a drink in the other. She'd brought him to the backroom where they could talk in private and grabbed a bottle of alcohol when Kai got halfway through his story. He hadn't expected her to accept it so well, but he wouldn't lie to her and it was a small pleasure to know that she understood that.

"So, Nima… died?" Kida stared at the table, the hand whose nail she'd been biting pressed against her temple now.

"Yeah…" Kai could barely muster much more than that up. He'd already finished his cup. "But she's not anymore and we're trying to get her back now."

"Are you-"

"I held her body." He told her gruffly and looked away. "She was dead. Dead as dead could possibly be. I'll never forget that as long as I live."

"But, Kai… how's that _possible?_ And if that's true, people don't just come back to life. Even witches have rules to follow. They can't just _do that_."

"I don't know. I've never exactly been the most magical experienced person in the world, but I do know a thing or two about rules. If rules are made, can't they also be broken?"

"Well, yes…" Kida uttered. 'But this is _magic_ we're talking about. Magic's not afraid to take your life if you try to break certain laws. And a life for a life is a pretty standard one. This is dark stuff."

"Don't remind me. Please." he groaned. "Do you know anything about this sword though?"

"Not off the top of my head. If somebody's gotten a hold of it then they probably would keep it. That's if they knew what it was, of course." His face must have expressed a deep enough disappointment that she winced and continued. "But I'll take a look at my notes and my inventory and stuff. Check with my contacts. Give me a day or two to see what I can find out?"

Kai nodded, his lips tight. So, this would probably end up a dead end, too.

"Did you… did you want to tell Tikaani or should I?"

"She should already know. We sent a letter to her. No doubt Mako knows, too. Bolin probably doesn't know. It only happened a few weeks ago..."

Kida winced again and eyes miserable. She said nothing as she filled Kai's cup to the brim.

-:-:-:-

Korra's resignation as captain of _The Avatar_ had been a startling upset among the pirate world. She could have been a pirate lord. Jinora was always surprised that she hadn't, but apparently Korra had never stayed in one sea long enough to really be pinned down as lord of any of them. Still, she seemed happier. Happier from the inside out now that she spent her days with her family.

Even if she looked at Jinora with solemn eyes and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry," Korra said quietly. "How are you?"

Jinora hugged back. "Thank you, I…" She wouldn't lie. "It's hard, but there's more to the story now."

"Well, we'll listen to it if you'd like us too." Korra pulled back. "At least, I will."

"Is Tikaani…"

"In the blackest mood possible? She is. Mako and I haven't been able to console her. Nuka either. None of us." Korra's mouth was a grim line. "Our last raid was on a slave transport ship. Rescued the slaves, but she killed the crew to the last man and set the ship on fire. Bodies on it."

Jinora could understand that. Her heart felt like that, sometimes. If she encountered any of Quil's ships she might have gone on a rage herself. Because there was not just a shattered void in her heart, but a deadly burning for Nima's death and fury for the way her life was being dangled in front of her now.

"I'm worried about her. I don't want her to get reckless. She's good at what she does. Too good, I've always said, but she's not invincible and I don't want her to get so angry she forgets how to be careful when she fights," Korra admitted. Together, the two mothers walked up the pier. "I'm sorry. I know you just lost your daughter-"

"It's alright," said Jinora, gently placing a hand on Korra's arm. "I don't want you to lose yours. Perhaps I can talk to her? If you want me to?"

"That'd be great." Korra said, smiling a little. It faded. "I… I wish I could do better. We've come a long way, but, you know…"

"Honestly, I'm sure Tikaani knows you care, but you know how much she loves Nima. It's not you."

"I know. She's… angry that she wasn't there to prevent something from happening, but she has duties as a pirate lord and she knows that. It's times like these that I wish I had gotten the title. Not that I ever wanted it, but if it could have spared her."

Jinora hooked an arm in Korra's. "I understand. I wish Quil had captured me, instead."

"Did you… want to talk about it?"

Jinora paused. "...I don't know."

-:-:-:-

The captain's quarters on the _The Tigress Shark_ were bigger than that of _The Waterbender's_. It'd been retouched, new paint on the wood and newer furniture than most pirate ships could afford. Jinora could even smell a hint of lavender in the air. Most especially, the bed had to be no more than a couple years old based off the near flawless condition of the wood and the deep red paint. It probably wasn't nearly as nice when it used to be a slave ship. Or, if it had been, then considering the evil deeds that used to occur here, it wouldn't have mattered.

The girl at the captain's desk had amber eyes, her black hair stark against skin brushed a light brown. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, the sides of her hair falling around her face. She peered up at Jinora beneath her bangs, a piercing gaze.

"I didn't know you were coming," Tikaani said, taking the tip of her brush pen from her paper. "I would have come and met you."

Jinora waved a hand. "Don't worry about it." Tikaani offered her a seat and Jinora sat in the chair across from her. "How have you been? I've heard you've been… having a hard time."

"We could say the same thing, then." Tikaani's voice was soft, her gaze downcast for a moment. Almost nothing betrayed that steel exterior except for maybe the uncharacteristic lack of focus in her eyes as Jinora watched. Her hands were still, her shoulders strong, even as her tone quivered quietly. "How?"

So, Jinora told her how Nima had died.

This was the part she and Kai hadn't done. Neither of them really needed to go over it again, obviously, but… until now she hadn't realized how distant she felt from- gods, from _everyone_. Tikaani's eyes closed when Jinora got to the part about Quil throwing Nima's body at their feet. She stopped talking for a moment, stopped and just cried inside somewhere she thought was lost. It was a relief and a distress.

She had sworn some part of her died when she touched Nima's corpse.

 _Corpse_.

"My daughter was a corpse." Jinora's voice broke and those tears from inside leaked out of her, then they fell and she couldn't control it. "And I couldn't help her. I couldn't guide her. I couldn't save her. I didn't even know I'd missed all my chances to save her."

Tikaani pulled a handkerchief from inside her desk. Jinora took it with a thank you.

"Sorry." Jinora blew her nose. "I'm actually supposed to be checking up on you. Not talking about me."

Tikaani didn't say anything for a moment, then, she turned her palm over towards Jinora. "Auntie…" It was a quiet word. One she hadn't used on Jinora in a long time. "I understand."

Her palm was cut, split rogue from the natural lines of her hand. The wounds seemed old recent, still slightly pink from healing, but they'd been deep.

Jinora opened her mouth to ask what had happened, but Tikaani beat her to it. "I used to have a vase made of ice glass in here. It was a good decoration in case people accidentally knocked it onto the floor… ice glass apparently cuts deeper than regular glass. Thicker chunks."

Tikaani _had_ always reminded her of Kai in that particular way. Anger was their goto emotion when dealing with things just so far beyond their control such as this. Anger and coldness. Of course, Tikaani was Korra's daughter and, so, it didn't surprise her that _action_ was generally how she handled her feelings.

"How's Uncle Kai handling it."

"About as well as us."

Tikaani nodded, making a weak sound that resembled a snort of some kind. "I should have been there. I promised her I'd always be there." She rubbed her forehead. "Of course, I can't be there when I'm halfway across the world, can I?"

"You have responsibilities. Everybody knows that."

"I know it. That's the problem. If it weren't for this damned title-"

"Then a lot of slaves who weren't free before wouldn't be free now. Nima understands that more than anyone."

"Understood."

"No, I mean she _understands_. There's- that's what I'm here for." Jinora looked Tikaani square in the eyes. "There's hope for her. For Nima. I promise I'll explain, but we could use your help."

-:-:-:-

"Kinguyakki is a patron goddess of the Water Tribes." Tikaani pulled out every book she possibly had on the said deity. "She's the eldest daughter of Kuruk, King of the Gods. The goddess of war, justice and mercy."

"War and mercy?" Jinora frowned as she picked up a book. "That's an odd combination."

"She was also the patron goddess of balance. My mother used to tell me her stories when she could." Tikaani pulled a particular book of her desk and opened up a page to a painting for what Kinguyakki was presumably interpreted to look like in the artist's mind. She showed it to Jinora and pointed at the text. "Many myths portray Kinguyakki as the peacemaker between her sisters whenever they would have disputes. As the eldest, it was her job to keep her siblings in line."

Jinora snorted. "I feel for her."

"Well, she was always the vigilant sister. In the Water Tribes, parents often tell their children to behave and not cause trouble because Kinguyakki watches all. She watches her immortal sisters and us mortal humans alike. To make sure we're not causing trouble. If we start, then she'll be sure to take care of us. Fix the problem. That's why, in the Northern Water Tribe, they tend to call her _Mera Lekiranainan Meyanata_. The Watching Goddess."

"She sounds very responsible, but I'm not sure how any of that helps with finding Nima," Jinora took the book from Tikaani and began scanning the pages.

"Kinguyakki is more so goddess of the _Northern Water Tribe._ Perhaps, you will find more information you need in _their_ texts. You're probably hard pressed to find older Water Tribe texts in just any library, but there are surely some books around that go into more into detail than those written in the common tongue."

Jinora nodded. "Good thinking. After all, The Great War isolated them for a hundred years. They haven't had the same ability to circulate their texts and books like the other nations…" She turned to look at the map pinned on the wall. "The Northern Water Tribe is so far… she could be a hundred miles from us and we'd miss her."

"I know of a place that may have what you need. A library in Hidama. An odd place for Water Tribe books, but I've been there."

Hidama? The Fire Nation capitol?

Jinora snapped her fingers. " _Of course_. The Fire Nation stole hundreds upon hundreds of manuscripts from the Southern Water Tribe during the war. Certainly, the Water Tribes shared beforehand. Tikaani, you're brilliant."

Tikaani shook her head. "No, I'm not. Imperialism just has it's ripple effects."

"Either way, thank you for helping."

Turning away from her desk, Tikaani waved her hand. "You know I'd do anything to find her. Now, do you know anything of Captain Teng?"

"No. We haven't forgotten him, but he's the last thing on our mind. Believe me, after all of this is over, he's next." Jinora's knuckles around the book in her hands went white. "After we find Nima… we won't rest until he's found."

"You last saw him in the Amaterasu Sea, correct?"

Jinora sighed. "Yes. He ran away when we were fighting Quil's crew on the beach. We haven't had word of him since, but I'm sure Kai's keeping his ear to the ground. Teng's a snake though. He wouldn't allow himself to be found so easily… but again, thank you. Perhaps you'll join us? Your parents and I know you can take of yourself, sweetheart, but I think you might need to redirect your energy. Keep yourself busy. Don't… don't do anything you're going to regret."

The square in Tikaani's shoulder soften slightly, her back turned to Jinora. She turned her head slightly. "I promise I'll be fine. I'll talk to my mother, but I can't join you. You've given me the best news I've heard in days though. I promise I'll share anything I learn."

Jinora frowned, brows creased and head cocked a little bit. "If that's what you want… You're sure? "

"I am. I have some herping to do."

-:-:-:-

Nima put the mop back where she found it, deciding that the deck wasn't going to get any cleaner than it was now. Lunchtime was a perfect time to let it dry while the rest of the crew headed downstairs to find some lunch. She'd join them in a moment, Janje apparently having made a mean vegetable stew. But first, where was Dan?

She went back up and found him on the quarterdeck, arm folded across his chest and looking out at sea. He didn't seem to notice her waking up next to him, mirroring him with her arms over her own chest.

"I didn't know you were a plant." Dan turned to her, frowning. She winced. "You know. Because you're out here… standing in the sun…"

He fixed her with a stare, his brows knitting slightly.

She hunched her shoulders. "Okay, that was a _terrible_ joke but… anyway, I just came to see if you were going to come down and eat. It's lunchtime."

Something in the way he moved stiffened and he turned back to the sea. "I'm aware of what time it is," he said.

It was Nima's turn to frown. "Okay…? I was just checking. You didn't eat very much at breakfast this morning."

His head turned toward her a little. Just enough to look at her. "I know how much I ate. Perhaps I'm just not hungry. You could have considered that before you came up here."

She blinked, then narrowed her eyes. "What's _your_ problem? I just wasn't sure if you knew lunch was ready, but you know if you don't feel like eating then suit yourself. No need to be an asshole about it."

"You don't have to check up on me, " he bristled. "I'm grown enough to figure out when I'm hungry or what time it is."

"It's not about being grown- I just- gods, Dan, I was just trying to be nice." She felt her nose wrinkle and she shook her head. What was with this guy? One second he wanted to be her human shield, the next he wanted her a thousand leagues away. "Maybe you should try it sometime, but you know. Whatever makes you feel… anything. So, fine."

He went back to the sea. "Fine."

" _Fine."_

"Am I, uh… interrupting?" Foba carefully climbed the last few steps up the quarterdeck, book in hand, as if something - or someone - would jump him if he ventured too far. He looked like he was going to turn back when they looked at him. "I-I can come back."

"No, it's fine," Nima said gently. "I was just about to go eat. Is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, I just didn't see either of you down there and I had something on the place I think the stone was telling you to go."

"You do?" She felt a grin tugging her lips. "Tell us!"

He paused for a moment and just looked at her, but his eyes flickered up behind her and he shook his head. "Well, uh," he cleared his throat and opened his book, flickering through it's pages. "It's connected to the ship of stars constellation, actually. If that's of any interest? You did mention stars, right…?"

"Yes, _yes._ Anything helps. We're mostly grabbing around in the dark," she said, her teeth split in a full beam. Thank the _gods_ somebody knew something. She hated to think they would go in blind like last time.

Foba almost cracked a smile, then moved closer to share his book. On the pages was a detailed illustration of two men seemingly arguing, both men well dressed and styled as nobleman long, _long_ before any of their times. "The story goes that there was a powerful sealord who lived in a castle on a small island in the Wujin Sea. He had many ships at his command and had become incredibly wealthy through trade and plunder with enemy sealords."

"So, he was a pirate?" Nima cocked her head.

Foba shrugged. "Well, I mean, he was more of a _sealord_. He did mostly legal things, I think. Legal of his time. Technically, he's considered a sealord because legal definitions of the time and place-"

"Yeah, I know, only it's… Look, I buy my things just like everybody else, but I'm still a pirate." She heard Dan snort behind her. "If you plunder anything, then you're a pirate. It's kind of what we do."

"Okay, that's fine, he's a pirate. That's not the point of the story though, yeah?" Foba fixed her with a look and Nima grinned sheepishly. "Anyway... one day, the lord, whose name was Yama, noticed a ship approaching his home over the horizon. It was a ship as grand as his, as big as his, and Lord Yama was jealous. He almost ordered his men to go and sink the ship before it got too close, but a messenger hawk came with a letter from the ship, a fellow sealord who wished to see him to discuss an alliance. He allowed the sealord, whose name was Varsha, to come to his island. Once there, Lord Varsha discussed matters about a sea monster who was terrorizing the sea and islands alike. Lord Yama would have none of it. He accused Lord Varsha of trying to swindle him out of his vast wealth and, instead, attempted to kidnap Lord Varsha's daughter to be his bride."

"Wow…" Nima's lip curled. "What an ass."

"Well, there's more. Lord Varsha left the island, but not before revealing that he was a sorcerer and had heard about Lord Yama's tyranny on the seas whose riches were gained by rape, murder and slavery among other things. Lord Yama had easily proven he was what people said he was. So, he cursed Lord Yama and left. Four years later, a monster attacked the castle. It came on shore and laid waste to the castle. The inhabitants of the castle fled as the monster rampaged, but no one had bothered to see if Lord Yama had been able to flee. He hadn't. The monster eventually found him and Lord Yama was eaten. Unbeknownst to the monster though, now, they could no longer leave the castle. Lord Varsha had, too, cursed the monster and bound them to the castle. The monster was now stuck between stone walls and remained there for the rest of their days..."

Nima ran a finger over the illustration of the monster: a large, slithering serpent with hair and clawed, scaly things that looked like arms. "So, Lord Varsha cursed Lord Yama and the monster with each other. Killed two birds with one stone." When Foba didn't answer her, she looked up at him, green eyes - weren't they blue? - intent on the image of the monster and knuckles white around the book. Gingerly, she went on, "Hey, this whole time I thought your eyes were actually blue…"

He still stared at the book.

She prodded again. "Foba?"

"I-I'm sorry, what did you say?"

She smiled a little. "Your eyes? They're nice. I was saying that I thought they were blue, though."

"Oh.." His shoulders and ahds relaxed. "Sorry, um… yeah, actually. I'm one of those people where they kind of change colors? Thank you though."

"I'm going to eat." Dan passed right by her and Foba, not sparing either of them a glance.

Nima's mouth dropped open. "Oh, _now_ you want to eat lunch."

He didn't bother to answer her, leaving her there with Foba as if she wasn't even there. Well, then. "He's such a grumpy pants. I can't believe my parents dealt with him. Well, my mom would be fine. She's always fine. It's my dad I can't believe sent him, but... " She shrugged awkwardly. "Yeah. My uncles, too."

"Can't imagine them being fans?" Foba smiled wryly.

"Not all of them. My Uncle Skoochy has _opinions_ with a lot of people. My Uncle Momo though loves most things that are breathing and relatively harmless."

"How many uncles do you have?"

"Over twenty. Everybody on the crew that's not my parents or my siblings or my grandpa. Then there's my uncles on my mom side and my aunt and grandparents on her side." It made Nima smile a little. "I have a big family. What abou… uh, nevermind."

She'd forgotten that Foba had apparently run away from home.

"My parents?" He finished for her. "You really want to know?"

Nima hunched her shoulder. "You really don't have to. I mean… if it's too painful to talk about."

"I'm numb to it at this point. Most of the time." He said, but he seemed to find it difficult to speak, opening and closing his mouths a couple more times before he went on. "...they were adventurers. They'd often leave me with an aunt for a couple months, then come home with all kinds of things they found on their travels. Sometimes, they took me. Well, one time they went out on this big adventure and they didn't come back for a long time. And when they did, it was their bodies that came home. Most of them."

Her mouth fell open. "I'm… I'm so sorry…"

Foba watched the sea much like Dan had just a few minutes ago. "I never got to see the bodies. My aunt and grandparents wouldn't let me. But I heard the crew tell them the tale. A monster, they said. A monster at sea on an island they were at. My parents went first."

"Did…" Her voice got quiet and she stood very still. Slowly, she asked, "Did you ever find out who… what did it?'

"No." He snapped his book close.

"Foba-"

"Don't worry about me. My parents are at peace. It's the captain that's not at peace.." he said tersely, but not unkindly. He turned to her and she didn't understand why he was looking at her the way he was until she realized he was looking past her.

His eyes widened and his face fell just as Tehan shouted down at them to look fore.

She turned to where Foba was staring.

An island. And red sails.

Fire Nation pirates.

* * *

This chapter was fun to do, honestly and it was nice to get back to the 's also a little hinty in nature. If there was a moment or two that you went "huh?" then that was probably your cue. I'd love to hear if you know what moments I was talking about.

I don't want to say too much though, so, thank you for your patience concerning this chapter. The next one is already half-written.

As always, guys, I love reading those reviews! They really keep me motivated and keep me and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	30. Red Sails

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **Red Sails  
****

* * *

Zaheer was dead.

Zaheer was _dead,_ gods damn it all.

Yet, Kai stared at his old captain, a splitting horror in the cavern of his chest as he beheld the man's stone face, his long hair and beard peppered with grey and the sword in his hand bloody. But the look in his eyes…

"You always were reckless," he said, circling Kai. A storm in the background was brewing, quickly taking over the seascape around them and a chill went up Kai's spine. "Always making stupid decisions and always bringing other people into your problems. Bringing them down."

"What the hell are you doing here, Zaheer?" Kai demanded, brandishing his own sword. "I killed you ages ago!"

Zaheer clucked his tongue, eyeing Kai from the side as he continued to circle. He shook his head. "Pitiful." He disappeared behind Kai's back. "Waste of time."

" _Answer me_."

" _Helpless_."

Zaheer's voice was gone. His presence replaced with a darker malevolence that could have sent Kai into a blind rage the second it hit him. Quil sauntered from around Kai's back, eyes cold and lips smirking. "Who can you save, boy? You couldn't save your daughter from _me._ It's pathetic, really. You barely succeeded the first time she crossed my path."

Kai's vision went red. He would _kill_ Quil. _Slaughter_ him like the scum of the earth that he was. He was going to _die-_

Quil's lips split into a grin. "No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try... I still got her. I still win."

Before Kai could even get a second thought, he charged forward and plunged the sword into the monster's belly. " _Go to_ _ **hell**_ **,** _you fucking_ _ **bastard**_ _!"_

"...Dad…?"

The shoulder under Kai's hand was significantly smaller than it should have been. He blinked. His vision cleared and-

Kai half-gasped, half-wailed. Nima's green eyes were horrified. She stood there, hands at her side, her father's steel impaling her- He nearly screamed. "Nima! No, no, no. Sweetheart, no, what- gods-" Her blood was all over his hand and the stain kept spreading. He tried to take the sword out, but his hand wouldn't move the way he wanted it to. If anything, his wrist was turning against his will, twisting the sword in her guts. Her breathing was wet and Kai looked up. Her lips were staining red, then overflowing with deep, deep crimson. So deep it was almost black. His daughter's blood was coating her dress, dripping, spilling onto his hands.

And her eyes. Tears. Tears that were clear, then-

Red. She blinked. Her eyelashes were stained red. Gods, _no_ , what had he fucking _done?_

"... _Dad…_?" The name came out queasy, soaking in her own blood.

"Nima- Nima, baby girl, I'm so sorry." He began to weep. No, no, _no. "I'm so fucking sorry, please, I'm sorry…"_

 _Why couldn't he stop his own fucking wrist._

" _Dad, you're killing me…"_ More blood spilled onto his hand when she opened his mouth. He was gasping for air between his sobs now.

" _I'm not trying to. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please, gods! Make it stop…!"_

Kai jolted upright and gasped so hard it hurt his chest. He kept gasping, the coldness of his sweat drenching his back and he was going to _throw up_. His feet found the floor and were pounding toward the door before his mind could dare catch up.

"Kai-" Jinora was about to stand up, certain worry and even panic trimming her voice.

"No! _No!_ " He turned around and put his hands up toward her as if to push her away were she to come any closer. " _No._ I need to be alone. I need you to leave me alone."

He'd feel bad about the hurt look on her face later. Right now, his spirit was probably ready to jump out of his own skin and he needed _air_ and _silence_ and _space_. Yanking the door open, he didn't bother to close it and desperately made his way to the deck. He could have cried again when he felt the salt air against his face. For a moment, a brief moment, he was free from himself. From this hell he was living in and whatever _that_ was that had reminded him of it all.

Whoever was up in the crow's nest didn't seem to notice him. If they did, they didn't bother coming down in an attempt to comfort him.

He hoped it stayed that way.

The next day, he could barely look at Jinora and, mercifully, she didn't try and talk to him about his nightmare. That… that had been one of the worst he'd ever had. The phantom feeling of impaling… it still stayed with him, too, for most of the next day.

That was the worst part. He could barely stand having his sword at his side. It _disgusted_ him whenever he looked at it during the day. He'd tuck it away somewhere before bed. _If_ he went to bed that night.

-:-:-:-

"Red sails. Not good," Ranaka bit her nails. "We should sail out of here before they spot us."

"That's risky business," warned Koika. He gestured for Tehan to steer them closer. "Red sails travel in fleets."

"We can outmaneuver them," she insisted.

Koika shook his head and raised his hand when she opened her mouth to speak again. The stance of a captain, Nima noted. Her father sometimes had to pull that every now and again when, say, he Uncle Skoochy's temper was getting the best of him. "Hear me out. Red sails travel in fleets and we can't risk running into more than one. There are probably others out there sailing around right now ready to chase down anyone that tries to leave the area. It's too big of a risk. One I'm not willing to take."

Despite her obvious dismay at the decision, Ranaka nodded. "Aye, Captain."

Next to Nima, Dan crossed his arms. He tilted his head slightly down to her. "What exactly are red sails?"

"Dangerous," Nima told him. "Red sails are ships that were used by Fire Nation privateers during The Great War. But, well, the war _ended_ and they were kind of out of work."

"So, they turned to piracy," he guessed.

"Mm-hm." She nodded. "Now, their ships sail around doing what pirates do. Red sail ships are fast though. And Fire Nation pirates are nothing to sneeze at. Some of them still carry some of the old Fire Nation values with them."

"As in ruthless murder?"

She nodded again. "Ruthless even for pirates. My father once fought a man they called Hang Happy Shen. He'd capture a ship, then hang all the men. Sell or keep the women as slaves, especially if they were Earth Kingdom women. Leave the hanging men on his mast for days until his crew couldn't stand the stench anymore.

Nima shuddered. It was one of the creepiest and most honestly horrifying stories her family ever told her. She wasn't sure if Hang Happy Shen was dead, but she hoped that, wherever he was, he couldn't hurt anybody anymore.

"Do you think these red sails are as dangerous as him?" Dan asked her.

Nima blinked. She hadn't exactly expected him to ask her opinion on the matter. "As a general rule, all red sails are dangerous. Their standards for who's allowed to be on their ships is pretty high. At least, their captaincy is for sure."

Dan made a noise. When she looked back at Captain Koika, he was stroking his beard, his brows knitted together. "We're going to steer clear as much as possible, sail around until we find an isolated spot on the island. Then, port. It's the safest option we have."

"You're sure, captain." Hyuna said more than asked, leaning against the rail.

Koika nodded deftly. "Those ships may be as small as ours, but they're just as fast and more of them than there are of us. They'd prefer to attack a ship together. More lucrative that way."

"Ranaka's right though. We may just be able to sail out of here. Perhaps they're resupplying," Foba suggested.

"But that means they'll be fresh to plunder when they're done. We don't know how long they've been here." Nima pointed out. "Ships like theirs are most vulnerable when they're in need of resupply. Especially if they consider their cargo expensive. It's a dicey move."

Foba frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What she means," Koika said, staring out at the ship. "Is that means they _definitely_ have other ships patrolling the area so they don't get caught belly up. If we just try to sail out of here then we could fall right into a classic trap. And I won't put our necks out there like that. We'll port in seclusion. Wait it out until they're gone. Captain's orders."

The crew chimed their agreements and went back to work, preparing ropes and checking sails as Tehan steered them away to the side of the cove. When Dan left to help the rest of the crew, Nima walked up to the captain. "Captain Koika?"

"What is it, lass?"

"You don't think we could, you know, send someone out to do a little bit of reconnaissance, do you? I'll go. Just to maybe get an idea of what they have on their ship."

Koika looked down at her, shaking his head. "No way. Nobody is going down there. We need to be prepared to leave at any time and I'm not leaving any of my crew behind. This isn't a time to get greedy, lass."

Nima opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again.

Koika sighed and turned to her. "You have misgivings."

"Well… what if there are, you know, _people_ on those ships?" Nima asked weakly. "Shouldn't we at least check?"

His eyes softened and he put his hands on her shoulders, dwarfing her. "I understand, lass. I do. Trust me. But, as captain, I have to think about the safety of the crew, too. If I send a man down there and they get caught or seen, then those red sails may figure out that we're around. It's a move that could get all of us killed… do you understand?"

Her shoulders slumped, but she looked up at Captain Koika when he asked. "I understand," she said."

He gave her shoulders a light squeeze and smiled faintly at her before he left. She went to get back to work as well.

-:-:-:-

He didn't expect the night to be particularly restful. The rest of the ship was probably feeling the same way. There was no way Dan was going to do anything but light sleeping with those red sails so close to them. He had a feeling that was precisely why the captain was up in the crow's nest with Janje being an extra pair of eyes. They couldn't be the one caught unawares.

Dan heard the rustling when it started.

He already had his hand on the knife under his pillow and he was careful to reach behind him and nudge Nima awake as best as possible.

Her spot was empty.

He sat up, pulling the knife from under his pillow in an instant and halfway to leaping toward the front of the bed. Toward whoever was in their room.

Nima looked like she had nearly jumped out of her own skin, a hand over her mouth to cover the small squeal that came out of her. " _Gods_ , Dan. What are you _doing_?" Her hand moved from her mouth to her chest and she let out a breath. "You looked like a wildebeest jumping out of the dark."

Dan looked at her, almost growling as his muscles untensed and he put his knife down. He eyed her with a narrowed gaze. "What are you doing?"

"What?" She said too innocently. "I'm not allowed to go get some water?"

He took one look at her out of her nightclothes - Qilaq, that was risky of her - and in her dress for the day, an old cloak over her shoulders. His brows rose slightly. "And you changed to go to the kitchen."

"It's cold," she argued.

"You're not going on deck. Or so you've told me."

He waited as she opened her mouth, then closed it again. "I'm just thirsty and hate being cold. That nightgown is too thin for walking around," she finally said, her lip out.

"You're a terrible liar." He stood up, putting the knife on the nightstand next to him. He asked again, "Where are you going?"

She looked like she thought about trying her luck again, but the slump in her shoulders told him he'd won. "I want to go see about those red sails."

This time, his face didn't betray his thoughts. His mouth slacked and his brows swooped together. "Are you crazy?" he asked her. He composed himself "You must have gotten in trouble a lot as a child... I can see why."

She frowned at him.

"Why are you so worried about it?" he asked tiredly.

"Red sails carry slaves, sometimes. I… I need to know for sure."

A pause. "...that's not your concern."

"It's _always_ my concern," she said firmly, her eyes narrowed.

He took a step closer to her. "What is it with you? Do you think you're some hero? You have to save the world." Dan rubbed his eyes and dragged his hand down his face. "You can't save _everyone_."

She didn't say anything to that. Only glared at him, her normally smiling mouth overturned and her eyes boring into his. He met them in kind.

They stayed like that for a little bit, then she put on her hood and pulled on her slippers. He found that he didn't like the break in their glaring session or how she turned away and yanked open the door to leave.

"Wait." She stopped and turned to look at him, apprehensive in her step. He sighed through his nose, shaking his head. "Let me get my clothes on."

"You're coming?" she said, puzzled. Hopeful, even.

He didn't answer her, grabbing his clothes lying over the desk chair and began to undress. Not that he was a prude or anything, he'd changed with her in the room before - with her back turned of course - but her lack of awareness that he was unlacing his bed trousers didn't miss his attention. He stopped and looked at her, brows raised.

She blinked, he could almost feel her eyes flicker down before she hunched her shoulders and started to close the door behind her. "Sorry, sorry." She lowered her voice into a whisper. "I'll wait outside."

"You know," he said before she left. "You shouldn't have changed while I was sleeping like that. If I'd heard you, I could have tried to jump you while you were… indecent."

"That wouldn't have been so bad, would it?" His head snapped toward her so fast that he cracked his neck. She put a hand up and inched out the door. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! So serious..."

He heard her giggle on the other side of the door, and huffed.

-:-:-:-

For someone who was so big, Dan was rather quiet.

They snuck off the ship, sticking to the shadows as best they could and climbing into a rowboat they gently lowered into the water. With arms as big as his, Dan took the job of rowing them to shore without asking. "We're going to _check_. That's it. Then, we leave. It's no use if we die doing this."

"Mm-hm."

"I'm serious," he growled.

"I know, I know..." Nima reassured him absently. Her eyes fell where the shore curved toward the cove. "Can you row over there? We can walk the rest of the way."

Even though he grumbled something under his breath, he did as she asked, rowing them over to the shore in a shadowed corner of the island, dimly lit by moonlight behind high mountains and hillsides. They walked around the curve of the island, Dan insisting they navigate through the vegetation as much as possible.

The cave seated in the shore hugging the curve was lit and Nima could smell cooking meat as they drew closer. She knew the sound of drunk men well enough that it didn't surprise her when they peeked around the edge of the cave and saw a group of fifteen or so men lounging, laughing and relaxing around a fire, rum by their sides and in their hands.

One of the men sat on a rock, perched on it like it was his throne. Seated slightly centered by the others, he had two swords laid at his side. Their leader, Nima assumed, had dark, straight hair and sun brushed skin. He was a lean, muscled young man with white teeth and merry amber eyes that slid observantly over his crew.

"I don't know of too many dual swordsman," Nima said so quietly she wasn't even sure if Dan could hear her. "Do you?"

"No, but if he's their leader at his age then we need to not be seen. Older men generally don't like younger men telling them what to do."

Nima had a feeling he was right. Her father had become captain young. Often times, young captains were either a hit or miss. Either they led their crew to some form of glory or they failed miserably.

"There's something in the back," Dan said. "Do you see it?"

Nima looked past the men and, hanging from a the rocks coming out of the ceiling was a net. At first, Nima thought maybe it might have been some kind of animal they'd caught, but the net wriggled some more and she could make out a body of some sort. A _human_ body. Then, she realized that there was a fish tail attached to that body.

"Is that…" She squinted. "You see the tail?"

"It might be a mermaid."

"No, I… I think it's a _siren_. Sirens bodies have a different shape to them. Longer, skinnier somehow. And they move differently." They peeled back from the entrance of the cave and

Nima pulled Dan aside. "I have an idea," she said.

"Ideas weren't a part of the plan."

"We need to help her." Nima frowned.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "You said she is a _siren_. They _eat_ people. You must know that."

"If we don't help her, those pirates are going to sell her to people who will kill her then pick her body apart for her blood and her hair and gods know what else." She argued. "We can't let that happen."

"We could rescue her one minute and the next she could be burying her teeth in our throats." He almost growled. "I won't be a part of it."

Nima paused, then said, "I know you don't want to be a part of this, but I have to be. I won't go back knowing that someone is going to hurt her." It was a firm statement, but not entirely unkind. "If you want to go, then that's your choice, but tell me as much now so I can figure out how I'm going to do this."

Dan said nothing and, for a minute, he looked like he was going to just turn around and leave her right where she was standing. Then, he said. "Fine. I'll help you." Her heart thumped. "But we are not dying for this. If she tries anything, I am going to do what I need to do. Period."

It was the best she could have hoped from him. "We can reason with her if it comes to that."

They walked away from the cave as Dan shook his head. "Of course you would try to reason with someone who wants to make you their lunch."

As the moon ran high into the sky, most of the men finally passed out, sleep overtaking them just as well as the rum. They seemed comfortable enough against their rock walls and rock floors. She'd seen her uncles when that drink was in their system very well. Any surface was comfortable as long as they could lay against it or on it.

Only one man was still awake. One man, an average height young man who seemed green to the sword he was carrying, was their watch. Nima turned back to look at Dan. Reluctantly, he nodded and she scurried across the entrance. Light on her feet and quiet over the rock, she tucked herself behind a boulder as she heard the watchman from inside the cave say "W-who's out there?" There was a pause and then a mumble that sounded like someone else was up. "I thought I saw someone."

"Then go check it out..." The voice mumbled again. "You're s'pose t' _watch_. Not wake the rest of us up…"

The watchman grumbled and carefully stepped out of the mouth of the cave, looking around. He didn't walk too far before deciding to return to his post inside. Nima waited a few minutes, then, ran across the entrance again. This time, the man walked out immediately, searching the surrounding area.

"I know someone's out there," he said in a low voice. Nima could hear his grip on the hilt of his sword tighten, his voice shaking a little. "I'll-"

Dan didn't let him finish speaking as the man rounded the corner, the two man struggled, but Dan was a whole head taller and at least twice as brawny as the watchman. The struggle lasted only for a minute before Dan's forearm against his throat was too much and he passed out.

Nima looked down at the man, searching for the rise and fall of his chest. "You didn't…?"

"No, he's not dead," Dan's whispered. "Just knocked him out. We have very little time to do this. Let's go."

Nima went first, walking through and around the sleeping men like it was a new set of dance steps. She almost stepped on one of them when the man rolled onto his side, but he mercifully stayed asleep. Dan followed her, the back of the cave shallow and not very deep in, but they could still see the siren strung up, luminescent eyes watching their every move.

It was only when they got closer that Nima saw it. Held firmly to her chest, sleeping peacefully, was a baby. She paused, staring at the sleeping child. That couldn't be a human baby. She wouldn't think that even a group of pirates would put a baby together with a siren. There was no sense in that. That meant-

The siren clutched her baby to her chest and eyed them warily. On her neck there was a wound that looked freshly scarred over, her skin slashed straight across. It didn't seem very deep, but Nima had a feeling that it was deep enough so that her voice would no longer work the way it was supposed to.

Behind her, there was the quiet hiss of Dan unsheathing his knife and the siren immediately began hissing back. Nima hushed her, glancing around to make sure none of the men were stirring too much. She put her hands up defensively. "We're here to help you," Nima whispered as quietly as humanly possible. "We'll cut you down."

Reaching up, Dan didn't waste any time cutting the rope that strung the siren up in her net and put her over his shoulder as gently as he seemed able to. The siren didn't hiss, she made no noise at all and mercifully the baby stayed quiet as they maneuvered their steps back to the mouth of the cave, Dan being slower behind Nima than before as he jostled the siren over his torso. She wasn't heavy for him, apparently, but that didn't mean he couldn't accidentally drop her.

On the floor, the leader of the men rolled, his swords at his side and Nima was extra careful to avoid getting too close to him. Something told her that one little wisp of air would have woken him up and, for some reason, she was more scared of that anything considering the way he clutched those swords in his sleep.

The came to the mouth of the cave and, by the gods, the watchman was still knocked out. Nima passed by him again, hovering over him to make sure he was okay. As soon as she saw his chest rise and fall a few times, she and Dan scurried away, their footsteps in the sand quiet in the night.

* * *

Oh, man. Okay, new update, but I hope this chaptered delivered. It was somewhat transitionary, but things still happened. I'm also updating this at 3 am and so I don't have much to say, but next chapter we'll get more on the siren.

Not going to lie though, the nightmare sequence was really inspired to write. Poor Kai though.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! It keeps me going and motivated to write! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	31. Kahal

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 ** **Kahal  
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* * *

There was something both tense and relieving about sailing after dark. The night was cool and the dark sky a blanket over _The Sea Viper_ as they escaped over the waves. After settling the siren into a tub of water, Nima found Captain Koika at the helm, silent as he watched his crew work.

"Um… Captain Koika?"

Koika glanced at her, yawning. "Yes, lass?"

"I… I just wanted you to know that all of this was my idea. Dan helped, but I was going to go with or without him." Nima took a deep breath and looked up at him. "And I'm sorry."

Koika didn't say anything for a minute, then, he made a grinding noise as he said, "The other ships may be at the island now. Settled down for the night, perhaps. We made it out alright."

"We could have been caught sailing out. I know that."

Koika frowned. "That first hour _was_ probably one of the more nerve wracking ones of my life, but…" Nima looked down at her feet, but he reached over and tapped her chin to look up. "Don't look so down, lass. It wasn't a smart move, but I can't really fault you for it. Either of you."

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged. "How can I? I would have done the same thing, really. I can't lie to you and say I'm happy about it, but it is what it is. And your heart was in the right place. Even if your head wasn't." Nima hunched her shoulders. "Don't worry about it right now. We can discuss it later. In the meantime, shouldn't you be checking up on our new guest?"

"I wasn't sure if I should bother her." Nima glanced down at the deck where the siren sat in her tub of sea water with her baby. "Should I?"

"There's no harm in checking, is there?"

She supposed he was right. Nima walked down to the deck, observing the siren. She was weak, her posture one of someone who needed rest even in her anxious state. Since arriving, she hadn't spoken to anyone.

Nima wasn't even sure she could. She kept her voice low soft as she asked, "How are you?"

The siren looked at her for a moment and Nima wasn't sure if she'd say anything, but the siren nodded to her. She had dark hair and white skin, the milky white of her eyes irisless. And, yet, there was something soft about them. Inviting, even, if someone took the time to take in the shape of her features as they were now in her calm. "Better… now that I have this." Her voice was strained and unnaturally hoarse, nothing at all like what sirens were fabled to sound like. She flipped her fin out of the water, splashing a little bit of it out of the tub. "I was starting to become very dehydrated. Thank you."

"It's not a problem." Nima said. "If I may ask, what happened?"

"I swam too far from home. There are hunters that sometimes stay within the vicinity in our isle on the off chance that perhaps one of us will swim into their nets. I, unfortunately, made their day."

"That's terrible," Nima said. "And pretty illegal."

The siren made a face, adjusting her baby in her arms. The siren looked much like her mother, eyes milky white, her hair dark and her skin fair. "Such a strange one you are."

Nima blinked. "I am?"

"Most people would consider that my just due. Considering my species. You… are aware that my kind eat yours, are you not?"

That was true, of course. Still, Nima didn't think it constituted the desecration that siren hunting usually culminated in. "I mean… I don't think it's okay to eat people just because some humans hunt your kind, but… I don't really have an answer. I guess I just couldn't really let them do what they were going to do to you."

"And for that, I am eternally grateful," the siren said.

Nima rubbed the back of her neck. "Er, so, by the way, is it okay if I ask what your name is?"

Now, it was the siren's turn to blink, but she sounded like she was chuckling. "You probably wouldn't be able to pronounce it the way it's supposed to be, but… you may call me Kahal. And my daughter, Kehra. It is her life that I thank you moreover for than my own."

"Don't mention it. Regardless of our kinds past with each other, she's the real innocent in all of this." Nima said. "I'm… also really sorry about your throat."

The healed over slash across Kahal's throat made Nima shiver. Kahal said, "As am I. I must be extra careful from now on. I doubt that I will ever sing again. Not the way I must to utilize my magic the way I used to."

Nima's heart panged. "...you must be tired. I'll let you rest for a while. I can come check on you later.

Kahal nodded and slipped back into a posture of rest, slipping back into the water. Nima supposed that they didn't exactly have to worry about drowning. Nima swore the baby gurgled at her as she left.

-:-:-:-

"So, I see you've made a new friend."

Nima turned around, facing Hyun fast enough to catch the apple he tossed her way. She smiled. "Thanks. And yeah. She's alright for now, but I can tell that she's weak."

"Sirens can't be out of water like that forever. Getting dehydrated is worse for a species like theirs that literally lives in it. You saved her life you know."

Nima sighed, leaning on the gunwales. "I just did what I thought was right. I mean, I _also_ put everyone in danger."

Hyun snorted, biting into his apple. "We're pirates. We're always in danger, girlie." Nima gave him a look and he sighed. "Okay, you didn't make the greatest of decisions and I'm glad you recognized that. Actions have consequences. Absolutely. But don't dwell on it. Life is what it is now. Time to live in the present so we can figure out what to _do_ with your finny friend."

"Do you give everyone a nickname?"

"At some point. It makes life interesting."

"Well, shouldn't Captain Koika have a say in what we do now with her? It's his ship, after all."

Hyun shrugged and gestured for her to lead the way. They went back to Koika at the steering wheel, Nima taking note of Dan also making his way up to them. "Koika, what were you thinking of doing with the siren?"

"Her name's Kahal, by the way," Nima interjected.

Koika nodded in acknowledgement. "Does Kahal have any particular place she wanted to go?"

"Well, most sirens belong on Siren Isle. At least, in these parts of the world they usually do," Hyun suggested. "We should take her there."

"But it's like you said, Siren Isle is home to most of the sirens in this part of the world. All of them aren't going to be as docile as she seems to be. She might even be refraining from doing what she normally would with humans because she may feel like she owes us." Dan said. "It's dangerous."

"But she's so weak," Nima argued. "We can't just strand her in the ocean when she might not be able to fend for herself. Surely, we can take precautions."

"I have to agree with Dan on this one," Koika said firmly. "I don't want to bring this ship too close to that place. She's welcome to stay as long as she needs to to get her strength back and we'll bring her within the vicinity of the island whenever she's ready. From there, I'm sure she can manage. How's that sound?"

Nima considered it, then said, "That's… fine. As long as she's strong enough to make it."

"Of course," Koika told her.

Hyun finished his apple and tossed the core into the sea. "Good, then that's settled. See, girlie? We wouldn't leave her out in the cold like that." His smile for her was crooked, but warm all the same. "She'll be alright. Don't worry so much."

Nima let her shoulders relax. "Thanks."

She began eating her apple.

-:-:-:-

The day had been long and, gods, he needed to a minute of peace. Koika thanked Hyun when the shorter man poured each of them a cup of tea. He groaned as he sat back, and rubbed his shoulder.

"Remember when we were young?" Hyun grinned into his cup. "Our aches used to go away within the day. Now?"

"Now, my aches get aches," Koika laughed. He sighed. "We're getting old, Hyun."

Hyun snorted. "What do you mean _getting?_ This chicken's been around the farm for a while. Meanwhile," He gestured to his own face. "Your feathers are greyed out over there."

Koika stroked his beard. "That's just wisdom."

"Well, then you must be a monk because that's a lot of wisdom you have going on there."

A grin split Koika's lips, then it faltered slightly. He hadn't sipped his tea yet and his pointer finger was tapping the side of the cup.

Hyun paused in sipping his tea. It was his turn to sigh. "Alright, big guy. Out with it."

Koika put down his tea and leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin. "Do you think I was too easy on lass?"

"Nima?" Hyuna frowned. "Of course not. Kid's heart was in the right place."

"You're just saying that because you had half a mind to do it yourself."

Hyun shrugged awkwardly. "If I was younger, maybe. I know I'm more of a liability in that race. My bones don't creak quietly."

Koika snorted. He paused. "She's reckless." Hyun opened his mouth to, probably, protest, but Koika put a hand up. "Hear me out. Her heart is in the right place. More right than I see in a lot of people-"

"I would have paid to see the conversation between her and The Big Grey Cloud."

"-but that was dangerous."

"Maybe, but that was probably how she was raised."

Koika raised his brows. "To be reckless."

"No, I just mean that was probably the example she had in her life from someone."

"You mean her father."

Hyun shrugged again. "I've heard of his exploits and what type of person he is. She reminds me of those stories."

"Does she now?"

"She does. And I don't care what she says, but that girl has problems with her father."

"And I'm sure you'll take it upon yourself to foster her."

Hyun made a face, but it softened after Koika returned it. He sighed through his nose, putting down his teacup. "She reminds me of Yera."

"And Yera grew up. She eventually found what she wanted in life with and without you. And, you know, she eventually lightened up on you."

" _After_ she understood why I didn't want her to have my way of life. If I hadn't been an orphan, I doubt that I'd even be here. You know, I always just wanted her to do something honest with her life. Not follow her ol' Da on the high seas. Dangerous lifestyle."

"And she did," Koika shrugged. "After she sailed around for a while."

Hyun made a face. "That was the problem. You remember how our relationship was at the time. I…"

"Was the biggest hen pecker and she could have strangled you half the time."

"Yeah… I mean, we both learned stuff. We worked it out and she retired in her own time. I'm happy she got to do what she wanted. That she's safe and happy now."

Koika pulled his teacup from his lips. "I'm just happy you're relationship is well off nowadays. But we're getting off track. How does this relate to the lass?"

Hyun smiled wryly. "My point is… all kids just want to have somewhere or someone to go to. I don't know what her relationship is like with her family, but… I guess I just think she should know that she has a place with ours."

Koika snorted, but there was a smile. "And The Big Grey Cloud? As you called him?"

"Him, too. Bet you he's just a big bear."

"Bears do have claws you know."

Hyun shrugged. "Ah, it's okay. Maybe he needs a haven, too."

Koika shook his head and tapped the side of his drink. "And what _do_ you think of the girl's father?"

"Don't know him. Can't say for sure, but based off what I do hear about him… he's alright. The kid doesn't show any signs of being scared of him. That tells me he's probably not all that bad. I think anyone who takes it upon themselves to liberates slaves can't be that bad."

Koika made a gesture of agreement. "And the rumors about his temper?"

'I've seen you angry enough and you're alright."

Koika laughed. "True, true… the lass is good. I just hope we're doing the right thing is all."

"By helping her?"

"I invited that lad, Icho, onto the ship and look what he almost did." Koika shook his head. "The lass is nothing like him, but… Hyun, I think I'm losing my touch."

Hyun watched his friend put his head into his hands. "Hey… big guy. I know you feel like you didn't do enough to help Iluq that day he left. I know. You don't need to redeem yourself, but it's not wrong to feel obligated to help."

"It fills the space." Koika gestured to the room at large, bringing a fist to rest on his chest. "In here, too. I should have talked to my boy."

"All of us should have," Hyun said. He set his cup down. "I'm not sure what the girls thinks of her father. Not entirely. She's never elaborated on it. But I do know that she needs us now. If nothing else, _we_ can do better this time."

-:-:-:-

"Is she always this happy?" Nima asked, tickling Kehra's cheek. Siren or human, a baby was a baby apparently. Kehra enjoyed being tickled and being played with and didn't seem the least bit interested in eating their new, strange companions.

"She has always been easy to please," Kahal said. "You also look and smell different than a siren. She's aware of that and she's curious."

"She finds me entertaining?"

"Very."

Nima grinned and hid herself behind her hands, revealing herself in a game of peak-a-boo that Kehra ardently enjoying. Her laughter was contagious and Nima wondered if it had any properties to it. "Does her voice have any powers?"

Kahal shook her head. "Not yet. They will begin manifesting themselves as she matures, but only once a siren is nearly grown does their voice begin to affect other living things."

"That's handy." Nima looked over her shoulder, beckoning Dan. "Dan, don't you want to see the baby?"

Dan didn't make a face, but he didn't move any closer either. "I have work to do," he said, turning away to go below deck.

Nima rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry about him. He's… not very social."

"I understand. I hardly expect him to trust me. He has no reason to. Our kinds have been killing each other for centuries, after all." Kahal said patiently. "It's only natural."

Nima bit the inside of her lip a little. "It's still rude."

"And he is only a man."

Nima sighed. "Yeah… I guess that's true. My family says I'm too trusting sometimes."

Kahal nodded. "I can… see where they may say that. It's not an unfounded criticism. Even if I am grateful for your trust in me."

"I just didn't think you were dangerous." Nima shrugged. "That's all."

Kahal chuckled. "And that is very naive. I _could_ have chosen to eat you."

"But you didn't." Nima pointed out. She almost smiled. "Maybe that means I'm a decent judge of character."

"Maybe it does."

There was a comfortable silence between them as Nima continued to play and coo at Kehra, the sun high in the sky. It would be lunch soon. She wondered what baby sirens ate and if they had anything for her. Perhaps, she'd discussed it with Captain Koika already. If not, they could try to be accomodating.

"May I ask you something?" Nima asked.

"Of course."

"How long do sirens live?"

"Much longer than humans. Many decades longer. The longest living of us by centuries."

"So… how old are you?"

Kahal smiled. "To put it into perspective, your grandfather's grandfather was most likely a mere child at best when I was already roaming the seas."

"That's…mature." Nima cleared her throat. "Since sirens are so long lived, do they know about things that happened a long time ago?"

"You may ask the question that is truly in your heart," Kahal said. "It is quite alright."

Nima rubbed the back of her neck, sheepish. "It's complicated, but… I guess the real question I wanted to ask was whether or not you've ever heard about the Sword of Kinguyakki?"

"The Sword of Kinguyakki." Kahal raised her brows. "That is a mighty artifact you speak of."

"So, you've heard of it?"

"The sea is full of mysteries. Naturally, we tend to know a bit more about the arcane things of the world more so than humans do. It's our gift. That being said, my knowledge is limited. Tell me what you would like to know and I will do my best to help."

Nima rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, first of all… what _is_ the Sword of Kinguyakki. I mean, I know what it _is_ , but…"

Kahal nodded her understanding. "The sword was forged in ancient magic from the fangs of a kraken and the claws of a dragon. Whoever unites it and wields it will have obtained power the likes of which you probably can't imagine. The connection forged by uniting the sword is like nothing most humans have ever witnessed."

That sounded… terrifying. "I don't know what that means though."

"You aren't necessarily supposed to. What pieces have you found?" Kahal asked. "Or have you managed to at all?"

"Only one." Nima pulled out the stone from a pocket and opened her palm to it to her. "The comet stone. Do you know anything about it?"

Kahal opened her hand for the stone. Nima handed it over and Kahal began to examine it as she spoke. "The stone is the easiest to find for it is the one always in the same place. The other pieces are bound to move about, but the stories in the sky give you their starting point."

"Do you know exactly what the stone does? I mean, I know what it does-"

"You know what it does _for you_."

Nima frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The stone is whatever the person who finds it needs it to be. In most cases, it's a navigator, but someone who gets the stone and doesn't know about the sword, as famed firebender Roku did not, will have another power."

"So… you're saying the stone decided to be a locator for the pieces because I'm looking for them?"

"That is correct. It knows what you desire and it is granting you that which you need the most. You see, the stone is _power_. However, that is all it is."

"What kind of power?"

Kahal handed the stone back to Nima. "Raw power. Power with certain limitations at that. Without a mind and a will to wield it, the stone is _only_ power. The Sword of Kinguyakki is a conqueror's treasure. It is a treasure of _purpose_. It's very essence is tied into the fabric of history at the gods' feet. Every person who has ever held the sword has had an impact on mankind." Kahal raise an elongated finger. "For better or for worse. For, you see, the sword does not see good or evil. It only sees strength. It only judges those who are worthy and shuns those who are not."

Nima swallowed, the stone suddenly incredibly heavy in her hand. "How do… how does someone know if they're worthy?"

"They don't. That is what the journey is for. Strength means something different in everybody."

 _Worthy_.

Gods, she'd… she'd never been worthy of anything, really.

"What happens if someone unites the sword, but isn't worthy?"

"Anyone may unite the sword, but not all may wield it. Do not forget… the sword is power. Without a mind and will to wield it, it is only power. Raw, ancient power and you are only a human. If you are not worthy to wield it then it will feed off of whatever has corrupted you in this world and it will consume you."

Consume.

As in eat? What exactly did she mean by consume?

Nima ultimately proved too scared to ask her after that.

-:-:-:-

Worthy.

That word swallowed her up for the rest of the day. After dinner and free of chores for the rest of the evening, Nima decided to go to bed early. At least, she decided to lay in bed and just stare at the wooden ceiling until her thoughts at away at her.

Nima had never been worthy of anything really. At least, it never felt that way. The only thing she could say she was worthy of was maybe the whole idea that she was a good dancer, but even that could be questioned under the right circumstances. There were plenty of people who were way more skilled than her, but she was famous because, well, her parents were famous.

Her mother would have argued with that. Nima's throat closed up at the thought.

It had never escaped her notice that people liked to portray her in a way she wasn't entirely sure was fair. A seductress. She shuddered.

She saw one of those posters once. Just once.

Sure, she was supposed to entice the crowd and get them into the performance, but she never had done it with the intention of _seducing_ anybody. It was all just a show. People didn't seem to quite understand that street performers were still _performers_.

And truth be told, Nima had never even been that head over heels for anybody. She wasn't interested in girls that way and no boy had ever caught her attention. Well, one had. Her first kiss, but that was a long time ago and she'd _long_ gotten over that.

The idea of a future had always been… somewhat fleeting. Almost as if she needn't worry about it.

Part of her wondered if she even deserved a future.

Was she worthy of even that?

Nima tossed and turned even after Dan came to bed, his back a sense of warmth toward her. Why was she worried? It wasn't like the sword was for her. It was for Tianmei.

But what if the sword didn't see it that way?

What if it only recognized her because she had been the one to find the pieces? What if it didn't want Tianmei?

Would Tianmei even accept that? Would she kill her either way?

Nima fell asleep and woke up with the same thoughts.

Dan was putting on his shirt when he said, "You're quiet."

Nima glanced up at him and shrugged. "It happens sometimes."

"I find that hard to believe."

She didn't have it in her to glare at him, honestly. He seemed to linger for a little while as she brushed her hair for the morning, but he eventually left and Nima put her head in her hands when he did.

 _She'd never been worthy of anything_.

She wasn't worthy of all these people's help. Not her parent's love. Not her family and friend's love.

She wasn't even sure if she was worthy of this life she was fighting so hard to preserve. Was everything that she was doing a waste of time?

"You look worried."

Nima nearly jumped out of her own skin when she felt Tianmei's smoky tendrils caressing the back of her head. Gods above, she wished the witch would stop _doing that_.

"I didn't know you were coming…" Nima said weakly.

Tianmei raised her brows, a wicked smile curving her lips. "Nobody ever knows when I'm around. That's the point." She waved a dismissive hand. "Anyway, I haven't heard from you in some time. How is my hunt going?"

"I'm still looking for the rest. I only have the stone," Nima showed her the stone. Immediately, Tianmei's eyes widened and she snatched it out of her hands. "Wait! I need it!"

Tianmei narrowed her eyes at Nima. "What do you mean that _you_ need it? You work for _me_."

"It's the only thing I have that leads me to the other pieces." Nima pleaded. "It's all I have. It's my locater. If I don't have that, then…"

A deep chill went down Nima's spine.

Tianmei played with the stone in her pale hands. She mulled over her worlds slowly. "Then what good are you?" She grinned. "That's what you're wondering, aren't you, darling?"

Nima said nothing, but she also didn't try to hide whatever was on her face. For whatever the hell Tianmei was as a being, the air felt so cold and… it…

It felt like Quil could be in this room any second.

For all the power Tianmei actually had, she swore that her very sense of terror was now defined by that man who had taken her life so swiftly.

Nima's knees went weak and she nearly uttered a plea, but kept her jaw tight. She quite nearly begged, but something in the back of her throat stopped her. Still, she kept her eyes on Tianmei.

Tianmei's lip twitched. "Don't worry, love. I won't throw you away. Why would I ever do that?" She took Nima's face in her cold hands. "I need you, after all. I can't do this on my own. You're helping me immensely."

When Nima didn't answer her, Tianmei - mercifully - let go of Nima's face. Nima touched her face, instinctively trying to get that warmth back to her cheeks. She almost collapsed when the witch backed away.

"I'll be back, sometime," Tianmei said. She tossed the stone back to Nima. "Since you need this."

"Are… aren't you afraid?" Nima asked quietly.

Tianmei froze. "...I beg your pardon?"

Nima didn't ask her again, the stone warm in her palm.

Whatever aura it was around Tianmei… it grew bigger and colder than before, her molton colored eyes flaring with that snarl forming on against her nose. "I _suggest_ that you keep your focus on your task, _little girl_. Don't get too sure of yourself."

The witch disappeared and Nima's knees gave out when she reached the bed.

* * *

God, I am sorry that I took ten thousand years to post this, but here we are. Transitionary chapter, but things happen next chapter I promise! Thank you for your patience.

As always, guys I love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	32. The Red Morning

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 ** **The Red Morning  
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* * *

"That one will do." Koika pointed to the isle on the horizon. "We won't stay there for long, but if we don't get this blasted sail repaired…"

"We won't be going anywhere," Tehan snorted as he looked up and examined the sail for the repairs he would have to make on it. "A sail is kind of important for sailing."

The captain groaned. "We'll need to port somewhere and actually buy ourselves a new one. I've already got the money set aside in the budget for it. Knew this thing was giving out soon."

"You don't think we can stick with this one for a little while longer? I could probably patch it up well enough," Tehan said.

"I hate sailing around with a thing that's just going to rip on us again sooner rather than later. No, we'll replace it next chance we get. We'll repair this one for the time being though."

"Aye, captain." Tehan obeyed, relaying the orders to their man at the steering wheel.

Nima almost smiled upon hearing the conversation. Grandpa Yung had also always been a bit picky about the sail, something her father picked up. The idea of being stuck at sea with a sail that couldn't do its job very well made both of them slightly more paranoid for one reason or another.

"Thinking about something?"

Nima looked down at Kahal who was staring out at sea from her tub. "No… well, maybe. Is it that obvious?"

"My particular breed is fairly good at detecting the subtle hint of emotion in other creatures. Your energy shifted just now."

"My energy is probably always shifting, honestly."

"...it is," Kahal said slowly. "But that doesn't invalidate them. What is on your mind?"

Nima shrugged awkwardly, taking her finger away from Kehra before she decided to put it in her mouth. The siren baby promptly went back to splashing in her tub. "My family. I… I miss them," she admitted.

Kahal looked out on the water. She was quiet. "I miss my loved ones, too. When I was captured by those hunters… I feared that I may never see them again."

"But you'll get to see them now, won't you?" Nima asked.

"Indeed. I have many sisters who may be wondering where I am." Kahal let out something that sounded like a sad chuckle. "They always told me to not go too far in case of hunters. I didn't listen like I should have."

"I didn't listen either." If she really looked back on it that was the truth. "I have a habit of wandering off and this time it went…"

She didn't finish her sentence.

Kahal glanced up at her. "I understand." She went back to looking at the ocean. "It's been some time since I felt the sea on my skin. Quite some time. The real sea, that is. As grateful as I am for you and your friends providing me with this while I heal."

Right. She'd been away for a long time, then. The hunters were probably too scared to bring her close to any water in case she made her escape. Nima glanced up at where Koika was on the quarterdeck, still examining the sail. "Wait here."

Nima walked up to Captain Koika and stalled when she got close enough to hear what Ranaka was saying to him. "...all I'm saying is that, is it really safe to keep him on this ship like this? After what he tried to _do?_ "

Koika sighed. "Ran. I understand and you have every right to feel how you feel. _I_ feel the same, but you know that I avoid killing whenever I can."

"Then we don't have to kill him," she retorted. "We can just leave him somewhere."

"We're also not leaving him somewhere where he can just run off and hurt someone else."

"We can make it a deserted isle."

"If I'm not willing to kill him, I'm also not willing to leave him somewhere stranded to die. And I'm also not going to kill someone who can't defend themselves. We will take him and leave him to the Anti-Piracy Agency. Nima knows the head pretty well. It was her suggestion and I'm willing to take it. He'll be more than taken care of once he's with them." Koika raised his brows at Ranaka. "Alright?"

Ranaka scowled and crossed her arms.

He sighed. "What would you have me do? Fight him? Kill him while he's tied up in the brig? You know we don't _need_ to do that. I will kill a man to defend another, but I'm not just going to end his life for the sake of it. He'll get his justice," he told her. "The decision is final."

Her scowl didn't leave her face, but her eyes softened in an understanding. Begrudgingly, she uncrossed her arms. " _Fine_. I… I guess I can accept it. But if he ends up walking off scot free then I'll hunt him down and do it myself!"

Koika nodded. "And you're free to do so, Ran. Hell, I'd join you. We'll sail around just for the matter."

Satisfied for the time being, Ranaka nodded and turned on her heel to get back to work. Nima smiled at her sympathetically. "He's honorable," she said quietly.

Ranaka grumbled. "Too honorable, sometimes."

Now, it was Nima's turn to walk up to Koika. She hoped that she wasn't being a bother, but she also supposed he was used to this. Her father certainly was, noting that being captain usually meant you went from one thing to another on a constant basis. "Captain? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, lass. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I was wondering…" she rubbed her arm. "Do you think that when we port, I could take Kahal down to the shore? Just to spend a little time away from the ship? I don't think she's used to being around so many humans and it's…"

"Exhausting her?" Koika offered. He stroked his beard. "I suppose that's alright. All I ask is for you two not to be gone too long. Otherwise, I'm sending people to go look for you. I'm giving you till noon."

Nima grinned. "Thank you."

Koika smiled. "Don't mention it, lass. Although…" His smile faltered a little. "I do need to speak with you about something."

"What is it?" She didn't like the way his face just fell. There was a thought in the back of her mind about what it was about.

"About the other day… I know I said that I couldn't blame you about the siren. And I don't necessarily. But." Nima could see his lips pursed behind his beard. His face was stern, but his eyes were soft. "I still don't _like_ that stunt you and Dan pulled over it. I get it, lass, but don't disobey my orders again. I give them for a reason."

"I understand. I'm sorry." She had known the talk was eventually coming, but it was still embarrassing that it had to be given to her at all. All her years living on a pirate ship… well, then again, it hadn't been the first time. He reached out to ruffled her hair.

"It's alright, lass. As long as we have an understanding."

Later, she and Tehan helped the siren into the rowboat. For some reason, it didn't surprise her much that he wasn't very scared of the siren at all. In fact, he was laid back about the whole affair, conversing in a polite and friendly manner. Then again, that seemed to be Tehan's way of handling life in general.

Just as they were about to set off, Hyun caught her as she was boarding the rowboat. He tossed her an apple for the trip. "So, I overheard you and captain. Everything okay?"

Nima made a face at him. "Do you overhear everything on this ship?"

Hyun grinned. "Absolutely. Someone needs to keep this ship in line."

"Then, I'm sure you heard him talking to Ranaka."

"I hear everything. Ran's got the right spirit, but captain just isn't exactly into executing people and she knows that. Which is exactly what those kind of things become. Not that Icho the miserable lout doesn't deserve it, but captain's always been a of honor if he could help it. Anyhow, where you headed off to?"

"Thought you heard everything?"

"Very funny. Well?"

Nima shared his grin. "I'm going down to the shore with the siren. She wants a break from being on the ship. She's not used to it, y'know?"

"Yeah…" Hyun slowly rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Dan going with ya?"

In all honesty, Dan generally didn't go anywhere he wasn't immediately needed at. She shrugged. "He was being a jerk this morning, so, unless he changes his mind, then I doubt it."

Hyun made a face. "Alright… just don't be long. I doubt we'll be sitting around here forever. If you're not back in time we'll come looking for ya."

"Now, you're starting to sound like my uncles." The thought, for once, wasn't entirely unpleasant. Her uncles were just as vigilant as her parents were and it was no wonder she was fairly good at moving around without being seen. Years of practice. This was honest though. Honest and she meant it when she promised him, " We'll be back before you know it. Don't worry."

-:-:-:-

Nima recalled her promise to Hyun as noon came and went. Kahal continuously began to swim further away and… Nima was fine with it. She understood it. According to one of the books she'd nabbed from the library sirens and mermaids alike did not enjoy being contained. It was only natural. To crave freedom.

But when Nima realized that she could no longer see _The Sea Viper_ she said, "Maybe we should start heading back. They might have fixed the sail by now."

Kahal looked at Nima, hestiant. She tended to her splashing, swimming baby. "Perhaps, but ... just a little more time. Just a little longer. I have missed the sea dearly and I am not used to so much human companionship. It makes me nervous."

Right. Hunted by humans.

Nima silently agreed to the siren's wishes, despite rubbing her arm as they continued down the shore. After Kahal glanced back at her a few times, Nima finally said. "Sorry, am I bothering you?"

"No," Kahal shook her head, adjusting Kehra in her arms. "But you are very nervous."

Nima pursed her lips. The last time she went this far from the ship… her heart nearly stopped.

"We may go back now." Kahal said, turning directions to swim back the way they came.

"No, no, don't worry about it. We don't have to if you really don't want to."

"The way your body changed just then. I did not like it. I do not want you to feel such fear. It's alright. I've had my fill for today."

"Are you sure?"

Kahal nodded.

A tightness in Nima's chest actually began to uncoil. Selfish as it was… it was also good to be heading back. She hated that trembling feeling that Quil was going to be right around the corner once again. "I'll be right back. I have… human things to do."

She was unsure how or if sirens ever had to relieve themselves, but Nima definitely counted as a human and humans had to do just that. Retreating to the jungle, it took all of a minute for Nima to finish, finding a stream to wash her hands in. Gods, she used to not be constantly looking over her shoulder whenever she-

The screech wasn't human. Nima's head snapped up and her feet were then moving just as fast. She'd left Kahal alone for only a few minutes. _A couple minutes_. She cleared the space between her and the shore as quickly as she could, leaping out of the foliage with a dagger drawn.

On the wet sand, several familiar looking men had the siren on the ground clawing at the net around her. Kehra was not with her, but in the arms of one man-

A young man with straight, dark hair and sun brushed skin. He was looking over Kehra, face unreadable even when he looked up at Nima once she jumped onto the scene. Kehra was fussing, her mother struggled and this man just stared at Nima.

Then, he smiled and his brow quirked.

"And who are you?"

"I should be asking you that," Nima snapped.

The man handed Kehra over to another one of his men and stepped toward Nima, not bothering to unsheathe any weapons. "I'm sure you already know my name." He opened his arms as if she should have. "I am the Red Morning of Hidama."

"I doubt your mother named you that," Nima frowned. "What's your real name? And, more importantly, why are you attacking my friends?"

The Red Morning blinked. Once. Twice. He raised both brows and replied, "You call these sirens your friends? There isn't a siren alive who's the friend of a human." It was his turn to frown, silence filling the space between them for a time. "What's your name?"

"None of your business."

"You… seem familiar. I swear we've met before. Perhaps you've been to Hidama? No, no, not there... it's on the tip on my tongue." He moved not straight toward her, but began sauntering around as if to circle her and come to her side. Nima moved away as he came closer, their footwork creating a full moon in the sand. In the net, Kahal was straining, trying desperately to cut through that infernal net and get to her baby.

Nima closed in on the man holding Kehra as she moved with the man who called himself the Red Morning of Hidama. That name sounds vaguely familiar, but not unfamiliar enough that she knew she'd never recall it on her own. "Let them go."

He winced. "Sorry, can't do that. Sirens are my job." Kahal made some kind of hissing noise at him. "You understand."

"No, I don't. I'm warning you. _Let them go._ "

He raised his brows at her again, eyes flitting between her and the dagger she held. "My name is Katsuno."

"I've never heard of you."

His eyes flashed with annoyance at that. "I killed fitty men before dawn on Hanabi Bay and the water swirled with their blood the whole morning. _Everybody's_ heard of me."

Nima actually rolled her eyes. They continued to circle each other. "So you're a murderer. Congratulations."

"They were criminals. The worst kind. The world is better off without them."

She said nothing to that. Whether he was right or whether he had some kind of god complex thinking that he alone got to judge who was worthy of life and who was not, she didn't know. Nor did she really feel like finding out.

She took a long glance at Kahal. "They belong on _Siren Isle_. Just let me take them home."

"Sirens don't deserve a home. They're a menace on society. Do you have any idea how many people are taken from their families every year because of sirens? Do you?" He waited for an answer and got none. "They're not human. They have no morals. I choose to use my good talents to help alleviate those losses and I'm well equipped for it. I can kill two men a minute. With a sword in each hand, it's not like they can escape me. Sirens may be faster than men, but I'm much faster than most men. Not to mention, stronger. I-"

The man holding Kehra got a knee to his groin quicker than he could react. Nima ripped Kehra from his arms and nearly slipped on the sand turning on her heel. Katsuno shouted something at his men, but she didn't stick around long enough to hear it. Let him keep talking about himself to himself. As soon as the baby was against her breast, she sprinted for the jungle. What she _did_ hear was the distinct sound of Kehra's mother screaming at her to _go_.

 _Run._

Gods forgive her, she did not turn back to look at Kahal again.

-:-:-:-

Hyun looked down at the shore for something like the ninth time since noon. He didn't like the feeling in his gut The sail was nearly repaired and she was still gone…

Not surprisingly, he wasn't the only one who had taken more than his fair share of glanced at the shore.

Dan passed him by too slowly to be a coincidence. "Nima ain't back yet."

"I can see that."

Hyun didn't immediately answer. He noted the half heartedness in that stony demeanor of his. "I told her not to be too long, but… you don't suppose something could have happened out there, do ya?"

Dan's eyes slid to the beach, his gaze settling there for some time. He tied the rope he was working with into a knot into its proper place. "I'll be back."

"To find her?"

Dan's silence was Hyun's answer. He watched the young man drop himself into a rowboat with all the haste of someone he acted like he wasn't.

-:-:-:-

She couldn't just be afraid. She was more than the things that scared her.

Nima was many things.

And she thanked the gods that _fast_ was one of them.

She certainly had to be fast to run and hurdle her way through the trees and foliage on the island, a baby pressed to her as safely as she could be. Beneath her feet, the earth was damp. Her thighs were on fire as she raced ahead and she found that running was much harder when she was unable to use her arms to pump her way through it all.

But her footsteps weren't alone. Behind her, someone was pounding at the earth like a demon on her heels. She dared to glance over her shoulder as she passed over a brief clearing.

Katsuno was keeping up with her and she'd be a damn liar if she said her heart didn't almost spike through her chest. Still, she turned back and bounded. Damn the leaves and whatever else was whipping against her as she did. As long as she got away with Kehra. That was her goal.

She could be faster, she willed herself to believe. She _was_ faster. Her legs burned more. They burned and burned her as light peaked through the green. Thank goodness. Maybe she was somewhere near the beach-

Stone and water and waterfall met her at the end of that light.

She pegged to a stop. In her arms, Kehra was fussing and Nima stood as close to the crest of waterfall as she could. She panted. Her lungs were on fire. Under her feet, about ten feet of cracked stone and water lay between her and her pursuer. Wanting to keep it that way, she edged back.

Likewise, he edged toward her. His eyes flashed in the light with a certain alertness to them. "You're fast." She stared him down. "And I remember who you are. You're that dancer. The Gyatso girl. Nima, isn't it? Your father is Pirate Lord of the Amaterasu Sea."

"Congratulations. You're a cruel man with a good memory."

He narrowed his eyes. "How is it cruel to rid the world of sirens? Slowly, but surely. They're a plague, Nima."

Nima recoiled at his casual use of her name. "They're _living beings_. They don't deserve to be picked apart and sold for parts."

"We do it to animals every single day. For their meat, their bones, their skins and they don't actually devour humans. Sirens do. They're intelligent enough to consider morality, but they simply don't. Doesn't that say enough?"

"That doesn't make what you're doing _right_."

Katsuno shook his head. Kehra's fussing turned into earnest crying as she wriggled in Nima's arms. He narrowed his eyes and extended a hand. "Give me the baby."

Nima turned her body, wrapping her arms around Kehra. "Or what? You'll wrestle me to the ground and make me? I know you're kind."

He hesitated, his lip curling. "No. No, I will not. I'm not in the business of hurting women."

"Just siren women."

He extended out his hand further. Slowly, he said, "They're not people."

"They're not _livestock_ either!" she snapped.

"And _you_ have nowhere to go! Just give me the baby and you're free to go." He opened his arms in a non-defensive position. "Look, I'll even take you wherever you'd like to go. Just give me the baby. Nobody will hurt you. You have my word."

She would do no such thing. Her arms on Kehra only became tighter and she held her ground in silence.

But he still held his arms open. "What are you going to do? Jump the cliff? This is a dead end. Come on. Give me the baby."

The roar of the waterfall was suddenly louder, beckoning in her ear. She turned her head to look down at the drop. The plunge pool had to be nearly fifty feet at least...

Gods, her mother would cry looking at that drop.

She pursed her lips. Katsuno's eyes went wide when she glanced at him, clutching Kehra against her with determination. The baby continued to cry, but as if she knew what was going to happen next she clutched Nima's dress in her small fists. The roar of the waterfall was deafening now.

Nima squeezed her eyes shut and jumped.

-:-:-:-

The water was cold and unforgiving from such a drop. Nima wasn't entirely sure how she didn't end up unconscious, but she also wasn't about to question it either. Perhaps it was the iron grip weighted against her torso. Kehra had stopped crying, but she thankfully had no intention of letting Nima go if her little fists were any indication. Breathing also wasn't an issue for her apparently since she was casually bobbing up and down the water as if that was completely natural for her. Still, Nima tried to keep her above water as much as possible while she swam to the edge of the pool with one arm and two aching legs.

She needed to go lie down somewhere. Looking up, she couldn't see the top of the waterfall and she prayed that Katsuno presumed her dead or something. That would give her enough time to get away and warn the crew. She hoped that sail was done because they-

A rustle in the foliage made her heart stop. No, no, no there couldn't be more of them. Had they circled around to try and catch her when she ran? She was ready to dive back into the water. Maybe she could swim and find a hiding spot behind the waterfall until they passed by.

But Dan emerged out of the greenery before she even got a chance to hold in the air. Nima nearly cried right then and there. She sagged in relief. "Dan. Thank god, it's you."

Dan strode over to her immediately. He held out a hand to her as she swam back to the edge. "What happened?"

He pulled her out, not looking in her eyes, but taking a step back and scanning her over. "I'm not hurt," she assured him. She was fairly certain, anyway. "But we ran into siren hunters. That's who the red sails were."

Dan frowned. "The baby's mother-?"

Nima shook her head. "They… they captured Kahal. I got away with Kehra and the captain cornered me at the waterfall. I jumped to get away."

His eyes narrowed with something that almost looked like anger, but he said quietly, "We need to leave. Now."

For once, she agreed. She didn't argue and he ushered her through the trees and the shrubbery. Nima hushed Kehra's fussing as they traversed the jungle back to the beach. Thinking of Kahal's screams to run, she tried not to hate herself being keenly aware of how heavy Kehra felt in her arms.

* * *

I'm actually sick right now so I don't have too much to say at the moment, but here's finally a chapter with some action in it. We'll be moving onto an arc I've been dying to write.

As always, I love it when you guys review. It keeps me motivated and keeps me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


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